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RISE AND PROGRESS 



OF THE 



PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS 



BY WILLIAM PENN. 



hM unknown, and yet well known. — 2 Cor. vi. 



PHILADELPHIA: 

FOR SALE AT FRIENDS' BOOK-STORB 
No. 84, MULBERRY STREET. 



TO THE READER. 



This following account of the people called Quakers, 
&c. was wTitten in the fear and love of God : ^rst. as a 
Standing testimony to that ever blessed truth, in the 
inward parts, with which God, in my youthful time, 
visited my soul, and for the sense and love of which I 
was made willing, in no ordinary way, to relinquish the 
honours and interests of the world. Secondly^ as a 
testimony for that despised people, that God has in his 
great mercy gathered and united by his own blessed 
Spirit in the holy profession of it ; whose fellowship I 
value above all worldly greatness. Thirdly^ in love and 
honour to the memory of that worthy servant of God, 
George Fox, the first instrument thereof, and therefore 
styled by me, The great and blessed apostle of our day 
As this gave birth to w^hat is here presented to thy view^, 
in the first edition of it, by way of preface to George 
Fox's excellent journal ; so the consideration of the 
present usefulness of the following account of the people 
called Quakers, (by reason of the unjust reflections of 
some adversaries that once walked under the profession 

(3) 



4 TO THE READER. 

of friends) and the exhortations thit conclude it, pre- 
vailed with me to consent that it should be republished 
in a smaller volume ; knowing also full well, that great 
books, especially in these days, grow burthensome, both 
to the pockets and minds of too many ; and that there 
are not a few that desire (so it be at an easy rate) to be 
informed about this people, that have been so much 
every v/here spoken against : but, blessed be the God 
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is upon no w^orse 
grounds than it was said of old time of the primitive 
Christians ; as I hope will appear to every sober and 
considerate reader. Our business, after all the ill usage 
we have met with, being the realities of religion, an 
effectual change before our last and great change ; that 
all may come to an inward, sensible and experimental 
knowledge of God, through the convictions and opera- 
tions of the light and spirit of Christ in themselves, the 
sufficient and blessed means given to all, that thereby all 
may come savingly to know the only true God, and 
Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, to enlighten and redeem 
the w^orld : which knowledge is indeed eternal life. And 
that thou, reader, mayst obtain it, is the earnest desire of 
him that is ever 

Thine in so good a work, 

WiLLiAM PeNN, 



RISE AND PROGRESS 



OF THE 



SOCIETY OF FEIENDS 



Divers have been the dispensations of God since 
the creation of the world unto the sons of men ; but 
the great end of all them has been the renown of 
his own excellent name in the creation and restoration 
of man — man, the emblem of himself, as a God on 
earth, and the glory of all his works. The world began 
with innocency : all was then good that the good God 
had made : and as he blessed the works of his hands, 
so their natures and harmony magnified him their Cre- 
ator. Then the morning stars sang together for joy, 
and all parts of his works said Amen to his law : not a 
jar in the whole frame ; but man in paradise, the beasts 
in the field, the fowls in the air, the fish in the sea, the 
hghts in the heavens, the fruits of the earth ; yea, the 
air, the earth, the water and fire worshipped, praised 
and exalted his power, wisdom and goodness ! holy 
sabbath ! holy day to the Lord ! 

But this happy state lasted not long: for man, the 
crown and glory of :he whole, being tempted to aspire 

1* "^ '.5) 



6 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

above his place, unhappily yielded against command 
and duty, as well as interest and felicity : and so fell 
below it, lost the divine image, the wisdom, power 
and purity he was made in. By which, being no longer 
fit for paradise, he was expelled that garden of God, his 
proper dwelling and residence, and w^as driven out, as 
a poor vagabond, from the presence of the Lord, to 
wander in the earth, the habitation of beasts. 

Yet God who made him had pity on him ; for He, 
seeing man was deceived, and that it w'as not of malice, 
or an original presumption in him, but through the sub- 
tilty of the serpent, (that had first fallen from his own 
state,) and by the mediation of the woman, man's own 
nature and companion, (whom the serpent had first 
deluded,) in his infinite goodness and wisdom provided 
a way to repair the breach, recover the loss, and re- 
store fallen man again by a nobler and more excellent 
Adam, promised to be born of a woman ; that as, by 
means of a woman the evil one had prevailed upon man, 
by a woman also He should come into the world, w'ho 
would prevail against him and bruise his head, and de- 
liver man from his power : and which, in a signal man- 
ner, by the dispensation of the Son of God in the flesh, 
in the fulness of time, w^as personally and fully accom- 
plished by him, and in him, as man's Saviour and 
Redeemer. 

But his powder was not limited, in the manifestation 
of it, to that time ; for both before and since his blessed 
manifestation in the flesh. He has been the light and 
life, the rock and strength of all that ever feared God : 
was present with them in their temptations, followed 
them in their travels and afflictions, and supported and 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 7 

carried them through and over the difficulties that have 
attended them in their earthly pilgrimage. By this, 
Abel's heart excelled Cain's, Seth obtained the pre-em- 
inence, and Enoch walked with God. It was this that 
strove wdth the old world, and which they rebelled 
against, and which sanctified and instructed Noah to 
salvation. 

But the outward dispensation that followed the be- 
nighted state of man after his fall, especially among the 
patriarchs, was generally that of angels, as the Scrip- 
tures of the Old Testament do in many places express, 
as to Abraham, Jacob, &ci The next was that of the 
law by Moses, which w^as also delivered by angels, as 
the apostle tells us. This dispensation was much out- 
ward, and suited to a low and servile state ; called 
therefore that of a schoolmaster, to point out and pre- 
pare that people to look and long for the Messiah, who 
would deliver them from the- servitude of a ceremonious 
and imperfect dispensation, by knowing the realities of 
those mysterious representations in themselves. In this 
time the law w^as wTitten on stone, the temple built with 
hands, attended with an outward priesthood and exter- 
nal rites and ceremonies, that were shadows of the good 
things that w^ere to come, and were only to serve till 
the Seed came, or the more excellent and general mani- 
festation of Christ, to whom was the promise, and to 
all men only in Him, in whom it was Yea and Amen, 
even life from death, immortality and eternal life. 

This the prophets foresaw, and comforted the believ- 
ing Jews in the certainty of it ; which was the top of 
Ihe Mosaica! dispensation, w^hich ended in John's min- 
istry, the forerunn<=*r of the Messiah, as John's was fin 



8 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

ished in Him, the fulness of all. And God, who a« 
sundry times, and in divers manners, had spoken to the 
fathers by his servants the prophets, spoke then by his 
Son Christ Jesus, who is heir of all things ; being the 
gospel-day, which is the dispensation of sonship ; bring- 
ing in thereby a nearer testament and a better hope , 
even the beginning of the glory of the latter days, and 
of the restitution of all things; yea, of the restoration 
of the kingdom unto Israel. 

Now the Spirit, that was more sparingly communi- 
cated in former dispensations, began to be poured forth 
upon all flesh, according to the prophet Joel ; and the 
light that shined in darkness, or but dimly before, the 
most gracious God caused to shine out of darkness, and 
the day-star began to arise in the hearts of believers, 
giving unto them the knowledge of God in the face (or 
appearance) of his Son Christ Jesus. 

Now the poor in spirit, the meek, the true mourners, 
the hungry and thirsty after righteousness, the peace- 
makers, the pure in heart, the merciful and the perse- 
cuted, came more especially in remembrance before 
the Lord, and were sought out and blessed by Israel's 
true Shepherd. Old Jerusalem with her children grew 
out of date, and the new Jerusalem into request, the 
mother of the sons of the gospel day. Wherefore no 
more at old Jerusalem, nor at the mountain of Samaria, 
will God be worshipped above other places; for, behold, 
he is, by his own Son, declared and preached a Spirit, 
and that He will be known as such, and worshipped in 
the Spirit and in the Truth. He will now come nearer 
than of old time, and He will write his law in the heart, 
and put his fear and Spirit in the mward parts, accord- 
ing to his promise. Then signs, types, and shadows. 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIt.NDS. 



flew away, the daj having discovered their insufficiency 
in not reaching to the inside of the cup, to the cleansing 
of the conscience ; and all elementary services were 
expired in and by Him who is the substance of all. 

And to this great and blessed end of the dispensation 
of the Son of God, did the apostles testify, whom he 
had chosen and anointed by his Spirit, to turn the Jews 
from their prejudice and superstition, and the Gen- 
tiles from their vanity and idolatry, to Christ's Light 
and Spirit that shined in them ; that they might be 
quickened from the sins and trespasses in which they 
were dead, to serve the living God, in the newness of 
the Spirit of life, and walk as children of the light, and 
of the day, even the day of holiness: For such '' put 
on Christ," the light of the world, '<• and make no more 
provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." So 
that the Light, Spirit and Grace, that comes by Christ, 
and appears in man, was what the apostles ministered 
from, and turned people's minds unto, and in which 
they gathered and built up the churches of Christ in 
their day. For which cause they advise them not to 
quench the Spirit, but wait for the Spirit, and speak by 
the Spirit, and pray by the Spirit, and walk in the 
Spirit too, as that which approved them the truly be- 
gotten children of God, born not of flesh and blood, 
or of the will of man, but of the will»of God, by doing 
his will and denying their own, by drinking of Christ's 
cup, and being baptized with his baptism of self-denial ; 
the way and path that all the heirs of life have trod to 
olessedness. But alas ! even in the apostles' days, — 
those bright stars of the first magnitude of the gospel 
light — some clouds, foretelling an eclipse of this prim 



10 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

itive glory, began to appear; and several of them gav€ 
early caution of it to the Christians of their time, that 
even then there was, and yet would be more and more, 
a falling away from the power of godliness, and the 
purity of that spiritual dispensation, by such as sought 
to make a fair show in the flesh, but with whom the 
ofTence of the cross ceased: yet with this comfortable 
conclusion, that they saw, beyond it, a more glorious 
time than ever to the true church. Their sight was 
true, and what they foretold to the churches, gathered 
by them in the name and power of Jesus, came so to 
pass : For Christians degenerated apace into outsides, 
as days, and meats, and divers other ceremonies. And, 
which was worse, they fell into strife and contention 
about them, separating one from another, then envying, 
and, as they had power, persecuting one another, to 
the shame and scandal of their common Christianity, 
and grievous stumbling and ofTence of the heathen, 
among whom the Lord had so long and so marvellously 
preserved them. And having got at last the worldly 
power into their hands, by kings and emperors em- 
bracing the Christian profession, they changed, what 
they could, the kingdom of Christ, which is not of this 
world, into a w^orldly kingdom ; or at least styled the 
worldly kingdom, that was in their hands, the kingdom 
of Christ, and so. they became worldly, and not true 
Christians. Then human inventions and novelties, 
both in doctrine and worship, crowded fast into th( 
church ; a door being opened thereunto, by the gross- 
ness and carnality that appeared then among the gene- 
rality of Christians, who had long since left the guid- 
ance of God's meek and heavenly Spirit, and given 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 11 

themselves up to superstition, will-worship, and volun- 
tary humility ; and as superstition is blind, so it is 
heady and furious ; for all must stoop to its blind and 
boundless zeal, or perish by it ; in the name of the 
Spirit, persecuting the very appearance of the Spirit of 
God in others, and opposing that in them which they 
resisted in themselves, viz. The Light, Grace and Spirit 
of the Lord Jesus Christ ; but always under the notion 
of innovation, heresy, schism, or some such plausible 
name. Though Christianity allow^s of no name or pre- 
tence whatever for persecuting any man for matters of 
mere religion ; religion being in its very nature meek, 
gentle and forbearing, and consisting of faith, hope and 
charity, which no persecutor can have, whilst he remains 
a persecutor ; in that a man cannot believe well or hope 
well, or have a charitable or tender regard to another, 
whilst he would violate his mind, or persecute his 
body, for matters of faith or worship towards his God. 

Thus the false church sprang up, and mounted the 
chair. But though she lost her nature, she would keep 
her good name of the Lamb's bride, the true church 
and mother of the faithful ; constraining all to receive 
her mark, either in their forehead or right hand; that is, 
publicly or privately. But indeed and in truth she was 
mystery Babylon, the mother of harlots, mother of those 
that with all their show and outside of religion, were 
adulterated and gone from the Spirit, nature and life of 
Christ, and grown vain, worldly, ambitious, covetous, 
cruel, &c! which are the fruits of the flesh, and not of 
the Spirit. 

Now^ it was that the true church fled into the wilder 
oess, that is, from superstition and violerce, to a retired, 



12 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

solitary, and lonely slate ; hidden, and as it were, out oi 
sight of men, though not out of the world : which shows 
that her wonted visibility was not essential to the being 
of a true church in the judgment of the Holy Ghost , 
she being as true a church in the wilderness, though not 
as visible and lustrous, as when she was in her former 
splendour of profession. In this state many attempts 
she made to return ; but the waters were yet too high, 
and her way blocked up, and many of her excellent 
children, in several nations and centuries, fell by the 
cruelty of superstition, because they would not fall from 
their faithfulness to the truth. 

The last age did set some steps towards it, both as to 
doctrine, worship, and practice. But practice quickly 
failed ; for wickedness flowed in a little time, as well 
among the professors of the Reformation, as those they 
reformed from ; so that by the fruits of conversation they 
were not to be distinguished. And the children of the 
reformers, if not the reformers themselves, betook them- 
selves, very early to earthly policy and power, to uphold 
and carry on their reformation that had been begun 
with spiritual weapons ; which, I have often thought, 
has been one of the greatest reasons the Reformation 
made no better progress, as to the life and soul of re- 
ligion. For whilst the reformers were lowly and spirit- 
ually minded, and trusted in God, and looked to him, 
and lived in his fear, and consulted not with flesh and 
blood, nor sought deliverance in their own way, there 
were daily added to the church such, as one might 
reasonably say, should be saved ; for they were not so 
careful to be safe from persecution, as to be faithful and 
'noffensive under it ; being more concerned to spread 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 13 

the truth by their faith and patience in tribulation, than 
CO get the worldly power out of their hands that inflicted 
.hose suflferings upon theni ; and it w^ll be well if the 
Lord suffer them not to fall, by the very same way the}; 
(ook to stand. 

In doctrine they w^ere in some things short ; in other 
things, to avoid one extreme, they ran into another ; and 
for worship, there was, for the generality, more of man 
in it than of God. They owned the Spirit, Inspiration 
and Revelation, indeed, and grounded their separation 
and reformation upon the sense and understanding the) 
received from it, in the reading of the Scriptures of truth. 
And this w^as their plea, the Scripture was the text, the 
Spirit the interpreter, and that to every one for him- 
self. But yet there was too much of human invention, 
tradition and art, that remained both in praying and 
preaching ; and of worldly authority and worldly great- 
ness in their ministers ; especially in this kingdom, 
Sweden, Denmark, and some parts of Germany. God 
was therefore pleased among us, to shift from vessel to 
vessel ; and the next remove humbled the ministry, so 
that they w^ere more strict in preaching, devout in pray- 
ing, and zealous for keeping the Lord's day, and cate- 
chising children and servants, and repeating at home in 
their families what they had heard in public. 

But even as these grew into power, they were not 
only for whipping some out, but others into the temple ; 
and they appeared rigid in their spirits, rather than 
severe in their lives, and more for a party than for piety, 
which brought forth another people, that were yet moi'e 
retired and select. These would not communicate nt 
aige, or in common with others : but formed churches 
2 



11 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

among themselves of such as could give some accoum 
of their conversion, at least of very promising expe- 
riences of the work of God's grace upon their hearts; 
and under mutual agreements and covenants of fellow- 
ship, they kept together. These people were somewhat 
of a softer temper, and seemed to recommend religion 
by the charms of its love, mercy and goodness, rather 
than by the terror of its judgments and punishments; 
by which the former party would have terrified people 
into religion. 

They also allowed greater liberty to prophecy than 
those before them ; for they admitted any member to 
speak or pray, as well as their pastor, (whom they 
always chose, and not the civil magistrate,) if such 
found anything pressing upon them to either duty, even 
without the distinction of clergy or laity — persons of 
any trade, be it never so low and mechanical. But 
alas ! even these people suffered great loss : for tasting 
of worldly empire, and the favour of princes, and the 
gain that ensued, they degenerated but too much. For 
though they had cried down national churches and min- 
istry, and maintenance too, some of them, when it was 
their own turn to be tried, fell under the weight of 
worldly honour and advantage, got into profitable par- 
sonages too much, and outlived and contradicted their 
own principles: and, which was yet worse, turned some 
of them absolute persecutors of other men for God's 
sake, who but so lately came themselves out of the fur- 
nace ; which drove many a step farther, and that was 
into the water — another baptism — as believing they 
weiv not scripturally baptized ; and hoping to find that 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 15 

p/eseiice and power of God, in submitting to this or* 
Jinance, which they desired and wanted. 

These people made also profession of neglecting, it 
not renouncing and censuring, not only the necessity, 
but use of all human learning, as to the ministry, and 
and all other qualifications to it, besides the helps and 
gifts of the Spirit of God, and those natural and com- 
mon to men ; and for a time they seemed, like John 
of old, a burning and a shining light to other societies. 

They were very diligent, plain and serious ; strong 
in Scripture and bold in profession; bearing much re- 
proach and contradiction. But that which others fell by, 
proved their hurt. For worldly power spoiled them too ; 
who had enough of it to try them what they would do 
if they had more ; and they rested also too much upon 
their watery dispensation, instead of passing on more, 
fully to that of the fire and Holy Ghost, which was 
His baptism, who came with a fan in his hand, that he 
might thoroughly (and not in part only) purge his floor, 
and take away the dross and the tin of his people, and 
make a man finer than gold. Withal they grew high, 
rough and self-righteous, opposing further attainment ; 
too much forgetting the day of their infancy and little- 
ness, which gave them something of a real beauty ; 
insomuch that many left them, and all visible churches 
and societies, and wandered up and down, as sheep 
without a shepherd, and as doves without their mates; 
seeking their beloved, but could not find Him (as their 
souls desired to know Him) w^hom their souls loved 
above their chiefest joy. 

These people w^ere called Seekers by some, and the 
Family of Love by others ; because, as they came to 



16 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

the knowledge of one another, they sometij^es met 
together, not formally to pray or preach at appointed 
times or p-laces, in their own wills, as in times past thej 
were accustomed to do, but waited together in silence ; 
and as any thing rose in any one of their minds th'it 
they thought savoured of a divine spring, so they some- 
times spoke. But so it w^as, that some of them not 
keeping in humility, and in the fear of God, after ne 
abundance of revelation, were exalted above measure ; 
and for w^ant of staying their minds in an humble de- 
pendence upon Him that opened their understandings 
to see great things in his law, they ran out in their own 
imaginations, and mixing them with those divine open- 
ings, brought forth a monstrous birth, to the scandal of 
those that feared God and waited daily in the temple 
not m.ade wdth hands, for the consolation of Israel, the 
Jew inward, and circumcision in Spirit. 

This people obtained the name of Ranters, from their 
extravagant discourses and practices. For they inter- 
preted Christ's fulfilling of the law for us, to be a di> 
charging of us from any obligation and duty the law 
required, instead of the condemnation of the law for 
sins past, upon faith and repentance ; and that now it 
was no sin to do that w^hich before it was a sin to com- 
mit; the slavish fear of the law being taken off by 
Christ, and all things good that man did, if he did but 
do them wath the mind and persuasion that it w^as so. 
Insomuch that divers fell into gross and enormous prac- 
tices ; pretending in excuse thereof, that they could, 
without evil, commit the same act which was sin in 
another to do ; thereby distinguishing between the ac- 
tion and the evil of it, by the direction of the mind and 
intention in the doing of it ; which w^as to make sin 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 



superabound by the aboundings of grace, and to turn 
from the grace of God into wantonness — a securer way 
of sinning than before : as if Christ came not to save 
us from our sins, but in our sins ; not to take away sin, 
but that we might sin more freely at his cost, and with 
less danger to ourselves. I say, this ensnared divers, 
and brouo^ht them to an utter and lamentable loss as to 
their eternal state ; and they grew very troublesome to 
the better sort of people, and furnished the looser with 
an occasion to profane. 

It was about that time, that the eternal, wise and 
good God was pleased, in his infinite love, to honour 
and visit this benighted and bewildered nation with his 
glorious day-spring from on high ; yea, with a most sure 
and certain sound of the word of light and life, through 
the testimony of a chosen vessel, to an effectual and 
blessed purpose, can many thousands say ; glory be to 
the name of the Lord forever! 

For as it reached the conscience and broke the heart, 
and brought many to a sense and search, so that which 
people had been vainly seeking without^ with much 
pains and cost, they, by this ministry, found within^ 
where it was they wanted what they sought for, viz. 
\he right way to peace with God. For they were 
directed to the light of Jesus Christ within them, as the 
seed and leaven of the kingdom of God ; near all, be- 
cause in all, and God's talent to all — a faithful and 
true witness, and just monitor in every bosom — the 
jift and grace of God, to life and salvation, that appears 
to all, though few regard it. This the traditional 
Christian, conceited of himself, and strong in his own 
will and righteousness, and overcome with blind zeai 
2* 



18 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

•^nd passion, either despised as a low and common 
thing, or opposed as a novelty, under many hard names, 
and opprobrious terms ; denying, in his ignorant and 
angry mind, any fresh manifestations of God's power 
and Spirit in man in these days, though never more 
needed to make true Christians. Not unlike those 
Jews of old, who rejected the Son of God, at the very 
same time that they blindly professed to wait for the 
Messiah to come ; because, alas! he appeared not among 
them according to their carnal mind and expectation. 

This brought forth many abusive books, which filled 
the greater sort with envy, and the lesser with rage ; 
and made the way and progress of this blessed testi- 
mony straight and narrow indeed to those that received 
it. However, God owned his own work, and this 
testimony did effectually reach, gather, comfort and es- 
tablish the weary and heavy laden, the hungry and 
thirsty, the poor and needy, the mournful and sick of 
many maladies, that had spent all upon physicians of no 
value, and waited for relief from heaven, help only from 
above : seeing, upon a serious trial of all things, nothing 
else would do but Christ himself, the light of his coun- 
tenance, a touch of his garment, and help from his hand, 
who cured the poor woman's issue, raised the centu- 
rion's servant, the widow's son, the ruler's daughter, 
and Peter's mother. And like her, they no sooner felt 
his power and efficacy upon their souls, but they gave 
up to obey him in a testimony to his power, and with 
resigned wills and faithful hearts, through all mockings, 
contradictions, beatings, prisons, and many other jeo- 
pardies that attended them for his blessed name's sake 

\nd truly they were very many, and very great ; sc 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 19 

that in all huiii.i i probability they must have been swal- 
lowed up quick of the proud and boisterous waves that 
swelled and beat against them ; but that the God of al! 
their tender mercies was with them in his glorious au- 
thority, so that the hills often fled, and the mountains 
melted aw^ay before the power that filled them ; work- 
ing mightily for them, as well as in them, one ever fol- 
lowing the other. By which they saw plainly, to their 
exceeding great confirmation and comfort, that all things 
were possible with him with whom they had to do ; and 
that the more that which God required seemed to cross 
man's wisdom, and expose them to man's wrath, the 
more God appeared to help and to carry them through 
all to his glory; — insomuch, that if ever any people 
could say in truth, " Thou art our sun and our shield, 
our rock and sanctuary, and by thee we have leaped 
over a wall, and by thee we have run through a troop, 
and by thee we have put the armies of the aliens to 
flight," these people had a right to say it. And as God 
had delivered their souls from the wearisome burdens 
of sin and vanity, and enriched their poverty of spirit, 
and satisfied their great hunger and thirst after eternal 
righteousness, and filled them with the good things of 
his own house, and made them stewards of his manifold 
gifts ; so they went forth to all quarters of these nations, 
to declare to the inhabitants thereof what God had done 
for them ; what they had found, and where and how 
they had found it, viz. the way to peace with God ; in- 
viting them to come, and see, and taste for themselves, 
the truth of what they declared unto them. 

And as their testimony was to the principal of God 
in man, the precious pearl and leaven of the kingdomi 



20 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

as the only blessed means appointed of God to ^uicken^ 
convince and sanctify man, so they opened to them 
what it was in itself, and what it^was given to them for , 
how they might know it from their own spirit, and that 
of the subtle appearance of the evil one; and what it 
Avould do for all those whose mindis are turned off from 
the vanity of the world, and its lifeless ways and teach- 
ers, and adhere to this blessed light in themselves, 
which discovers and condemns sin, in all its appear- 
ances, and shows how to overcome it, if minded and 
obeyed in its holy manifestations and convictions ; giv- 
ing power to such to avoid and resist those things that 
do not please God, and to grow strong in love, faith 
and good works : that so man, whom sin hath made as 
a wilderness overrun with briars and thorns, might be- 
come as the garden of God, cultivated by his divine 
power, and replenished with the most virtuous and 
beautiful plants of God's own right-hand planting, to 
his eternal praise. 

But these experimental preachers of glad tidings of 
God's truth and kingdom, could not run when they list, 
:>r pray or preach when they pleased, but as Christ their 
Redeemer prepared and moved them by his own bless- 
ed Spirit, for which they waited in their vServices and 
meetings, and spoke as that gave them utterance : and 
which was as those having authority, and not like the 
dreaming, dry and formal Pharisees. And so it plainly 
appeared to the serious-minded, w^hose spiritual eye the 
Lord Jesus had in any measure opened ; so that to one 
was given the word of exhortation, to another the word 
of reproof, to another the w^ord of consolation, and all 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 21 

by the same Spirit and in the good order thereof, to the 
i^cnvincing and edifying of many. 

And truly they waxed strong and bold through faith- 
fulness ; and by the power and Spirit of the Lord JesUs 
became very fruitful ; thousands, in a short time, being 
turned to the Truth in the inward parts through their 
testimony in ministry and sufferings ; insomuch as in 
most counties, and many of the considerable towns of 
England, meetings were settled, and daily there were 
added such as should be saved. For they were diligent 
to plant and to water, and the Lord blessed their labours 
with an exceeding great increase, notwithstanding all 
the opposition made to their blessed progress, by false 
rumours, calumnies and bitter persecutions ; not only 
from the powers of the earth, but from every one that 
listed to injure and abuse them : so that they seemed 
indeed to be as poor sheep appointed to the slaughter, 
and as a people killed all the day long. 

It were fitter for a volume than a preface, but so much 
as to repeat the contents of their cruel sufferings from 
professors as well as from profane, and from magis* 
trates as well as the rabble : so that it may be said of 
this abused and despised people, they went forth weep 
ing and sowed in tears, bearing testimony to the pre- 
cious Seed, the Seed of the kingdom, which stands not 
in words, (the finest, the highest that man's wit can 
use,) but in power — the power of Christ Jesus, to 
whom God the Father hath given all power in heaven 
and in earth, that He might rule angels above, and men 
below ; who empowered them, as their work witnesseth, 
by the many that were turned through their ministry 
from darkness to the light, and out of the broad in*^ 



22 RISt: AND PROGRESS Ot 

the narrow way of life and peace, bringing people to a 
weighty, serious and godlike conversation ; the practice 
of that doctrine which they taught. 

And, as without this secret divine power there is no 
quickening and regenerating of dead souls, so the want 
of this generating and begetting power and life, is the 
cause of the little fruit that the many ministries, that 
have been and are in the world, bring forth. Oh! that 
both ministers and people w^ere sensible of this. My 
soul is often troubled for them, and sorrow^ and mourn- 
ing compass ine about for their sakes. Oh ! that they 
were wnse. Oh ! that they would consider, and lay to 
heart the things that truly and substantially make for 
their lasting peace. 

Two things are to be considered ; the doctrine they 
taught, and the example they led among all people. I 
have already touched upon their fundamental principle, 
which is as the corner-stone of their fabric ; and indeed, 
to speak eminently and properly, their characteristic, or 
main distinguishing point or principle, viz. The Light 
of Christ within, as God's gift for man's salvation. 
This, I say, is as the root of the goodly tree of doc- 
trines that grew and branched out from it, which I shall 
now^ mention in their natural and experimental order. 

First, repentance from dead works to serve the living 
God ; which comprehends three operations : first, a 
sight of sin ; secondly, a sense and godly sorrow for it ; 
thirdly, an amendment for the time to come. This 
was the repentance they preached and pressed, and a 
natural result from the principle they turned all people 
unto. For of light came sight ; and of sight came sense 
and sorrow and of sense and sorrow came amendment 



THE SOCIKTY OF FRIENDS. 23 

of life : which doctrine of repentance leads to justifica- 
tion, that is, forgiveness of the sins that are past, through 
Christ the alone propitiation ; and to the sanctification 
or purgation of the soul, from the defiling nature and 
habits of sin present, by the Spirit of Christ in the soul ; 
which is justification in the complete sense of that word ; 
comprehending both justification from the guilt of the 
sins that are past (as if they had never been committed) 
through the love and mercy of God in Christ Jesus ; 
and the creature's being made inwardly just, through 
the cleansing and sanctifying power and Spirit of Christ 
revealed in the soul ; which is commonly called sancti- 
fication. But that none can come to know Christ to be 
their sacrifice that reject Him as their Sanctifier ; the 
end of His coming being to save His people from the 
nature and defilement, as w^ell as guilt of sin ; and that 
therefore those that resist His Light and Spirit, make 
His coming and offering of none effect to them. 

From hence sprang a second doctrine they were led 
to declare, as the mark of the prize of the high calling 
to all true Christians, viz. perfection from sin, according 
to the Scriptures of Truth ; which testify it to be the 
end of Christ's coming, and the nature of His king- 
dom, and for which His Spirit was and is given, viz. 
to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, and 
holy, because God is holy. And this the apostles la- 
boured for, that the Christians should be sam^nfied 
throughout in body, soul and spirit ; but they ..ever 
held a perfection in wisdom and glory in this life, or 
from natural infirmities, or death, as some have, with a 
weak or ill i::ind, imagined and insinuated aga'nst 
them. 



24 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

This they called a redeemed state, regenerat on, oi 
the new birth : teaching every where according to theii 
foundation, that without this work were known, there 
was no inheriting the kingdom of God. 

Thirdly, this leads to an acknow^ledgment of eternal 
rewards and punishments, as they have good reason ; 
for else, of all people, certainly they must be the most 
miserable, who, for above forty years, have been ex- 
ceeding great sufferers for their profession, and in some 
cases treated worse than the worst of men ; yea, as the 
refuse and off-scouring of all things. 

This was the purport of their doctrine and ministry ; 
w^hich, for the most part, is what other professors of 
Christianity pretend to hold in words and forms, but 
not in the power of godliness ; which, generally speak- 
ing, has been long lost by men's departing from that 
Principle and Seed of life that is in man, and which 
man has not regarded, but lost the sense of; and in and 
by which only he can be quickened in his mind to 
serve the living God in newness of life. For as the 
life of religion was lost, and the generality lived and 
worshipped God after their own wills, and not after the 
will of God, nor the mind of Christ, which stood in the 
w^orks and fruits of the Holy Spirit ; so that which they 
pressed, was not notion, but experience ; not formality, 
but' godliness ; as being sensible in themselves, through 
the w^ork of God's righteous judgments, that without 
iioliness no man shall ever see the Lord with comfort. 

Besides these general doctrines, as the larger branch- 
es, there sprang forth several particular doctrines, that 
aid exemplify and farther explain the truth and efficacy 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 25 

of Ic general doctrine before observed, ir their lives 
an] examples : as, 

I. Communion and loving one another. This is a 
noted mark in the mouth of all sorts of peoph concern- 
ing them : They will meet, they will help and stick one 
to another. Whence it is common to hear some say : 
Look how the Quakers love and take care of one 
another. Others, less moderate, will say : The Quakers 
love none but themselves : and if loving one another, 
and having an intim.ate communion in religion, and con- 
stant care to meet to w^orship God, and help one an- 
other, be any mark of primitive Christianity, they had 
it, blessed be the Lord in an ample manner. 

n. To love enemies. This the} both taught and 
practised. For they did not only refuse to 6e revenged 
for injuries done them, and condemned it as an unchris- 
tian spirit, but they did freely forgive, yea, help and 
relieve those that had been cruel to them, when it was 
in their power to have been even with them ; of which 
many and singular instances might be given ; endea- 
vouring, through faith and patience, tc overcome all 
injustice and oppression, and preaching this doctrine 
as Christian, for others to follow. 

in. Another was, the sufficiency of truth-speaking, 
according to Christ's ow^n form of sound words, of yea, 
yea, and nay, nay, among Christians, without swearing ; 
both from Christ's express prohibition to swear at all. 
Mat. v., and for that they being under the tie and bond 
of truth in themselves, there was no necessity for an 
cath ; and it would be a reproach to their Christian ve- 
r-'^iH" to assure their truth by such an extraordinary 
way of speaking ; simple and uncompounded answers, 
3 



26 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

,is Via, ana nay, (without asseverations, attestations, or 
supernatural vouchers,) being most suitable to evan- 
gelical righteousness. But offering at the same time to 
be punished to the full, for false speaking, as others for 
perjury, if ever guilty of it. And hereby they exclude, 
with all true, all false and profane swearing ; for which 
the land did and doth mourn, and the great God was, 
and is not a little offended with it. 

IV. Not fighting, but suffering, is another testimony 
peculiar to this people. They affirm that Christianity 
teacheth people to beat their swords into plough-shares, 
and their spears into pruning hooks, and to learn war 
no more ; that so the w^olf may lie down with the lamb, 
and the lion with the calf, and nothing that destroys be 
entertained in the hearts of people; exhorting them to 
employ their zeal against sin, and turn their anger 
against Satan, and no longer war one against another ; 
because all w^ars and fightings come of men's own 
hearts' lusts, according to the apostle James, and not 
of the meek Spirit of Christ Jesus, w^ho is captain of 
another warfare, which is carried on with other wea- 
pons. Thus, as truth-speaking succeeded swearing, so 
faith and patience succeeded fighting, in the doctrine 
and practice of this people. Nor ought they for this 
to be obnoxious to civil government, since if they can- 
not fight for it, neither can they fight against it ; which 
is no mean security to any state. Nor is it reasonable 
that people should be blamed for not doing more for 
others than they can do for themselves. And, Chris- 
tianity set aside, if the costs and fruits of war w^ere well 
( usidered, peace, with all its inconveniences, is gene- 
rally preferable. But though they were not for fighting, 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 21 

they were for submitting to government; and hai, not 
only for fear, but for conscience-sake, where govern- 
ment doth not interfere with conscience ; beUeving it 
to be an ordinance of God, and where it is justly ad- 
ministered, a great benefit to mankind. Though it has 
been their lot, through blind zeal in some, and interest 
in others, to have felt the strokes of it with greater 
weight and rigour than any other persuasion in this 
age ; whilst they, of all others, religion set aside, have 
given the civil magistrate the least occasion of trouble 
in the discharge of his office. 

V. Another part of the character of this people, was, 
and is, they refuse to pay tithes or maintenance to a 
national ministry ; and that for two reasons : the one is, 
they believe all compelled maintenance, even to gospel 
ministers, to be unlawful, because expressly contrary 
to Christ's command, who said, ''Freely you have re- 
ceived, freely give:" at least, that the maintenance of 
gospel ministers should be free, and not forced. The 
other reason of their refusal is, because those ministers 
are not gospel ones, in that the Holy Ghost is not their 
foundation, but human arts and parts. So that it is not 
matter of humour or suUenness, but pure conscience 
towards God, that they cannot help to support national 
ministries where they dwell, which are but too much 
and too visibly become ways of worldly advantage and 
preferment. 

VI. Not to respect persons, w^as, and is another of 
their doctrines and practices, for which they w^eie often 
buffeted and abused. They affirmed it to be sinful to 
give flattering titles, or to use vain gestures and com- 
pliments of respect. Though to virtue and authont.y 



28 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

they ever made a difference ; but after their plain and 
homely manner, yet sincere and substantial way ; well 
remembering the examples of Mordecai and Elihu, but 
more especially the command of their Lord and Master, 
Jesus Christ, w^ho forbad his followers to call men 
Rabbi, which implies lord or master ; also the fashion- 
able greetings and salutations of those times ; that so 
self love and honour, to which the proud mind of man 
is incident in his fallen estate, might not be indulged, 
but rebuked. And though this rendered their conversa- 
tion disagreeable, yet ihey that will remember what 
Christ said to the Jews, ''How can ye believe, which 
receive honour one of another," will abate of their 
resentment, if his doctrine has any credit with them. 

VII. They also used the plain language of thee and 
thou to a single person, whatever was his degree among 
men ; and indeed, the wdsdom of God was much seen, 
in bringing forth this people in so plain an appearance ; 
for it was a close and distinguishing test upon the spirits 
of those they came among ; showing their insides, and 
what predominated, notwithstanding their high and 
great profession of religion. This, among the rest, 
sounded so harsh to many of them, and they took it so 
ill, that they would say, " Thou me, thou my dog ! If 
thou thou'st me, I'll thou thy teeth down thy throat ,'• 
forgetting the language they use to God in their own 
prayers, and the common style of the Scriptures, and 
that it is an absolute and essential propriety of speech. 
And what good, alas ! had their religion done them, 
who were so sensibly touched with indignation for the 
tise of this plain, honest and true speech? 

VIII. They recommended silence by their example, 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIEND^. 29 

having very few words upon all occasions. They were 
at a word in dealing ; nor could their customers, with 
many words, tempt them from it, having more regard 
to truth than custom, to example than gain. They 
sought solitude ; but when in company, they would 
neither use, nor willingly hear unnecessary or unlawful 
discourses ; whereby they preserved their minds pure 
and undisturbed from unprofitable thoughts and diver- 
sions. Nor could they humour the custom of Good 
night. Good morrow, God speed ; for they knew the 
night was good, and the day was good, without wishing 
of either ; and that, in the other expression, the holy 
name of God was too lightly and unthankfully used, 
and therefore taken in vain. Besides, they were words 
and wishes of course, and are usually as little meant, 
as are love and service in the custom of cap and knee ; 
and superfluity in those, as w^ell as in other things, was 
burthensome to them ; and therefore they did not only 
decline to use them, but found themselves often pressed 
to reprove the practice. 

IX. For the same reason they forebore drinking to 
people, or pledging of them., as the manner of the world 
is ; a practice that is not only unnecessary, but, they 
thought, evil in the tendencies of it, being a provoca- 
tion to drink more than did people good, as well as 
that it was in itwSelf vain and heathenish. 

X. Their way of marriage is peculiar to them, and 
shows a distinguishing care above other societies pro- 
fessing Christianity. They say that marriage is an 
ordinance of God, and that God only can rightly join 
man and woman in marriage ; therefore they use neithei 
priest nor magistrate ; but the man and woman con- 

3* 



30 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

cernod, take each other as husband and wife, in the 
presence of divers credible witnesses, promising to each 
other, with God's assistance, to be loving and faithfu. 
in that relation, till death shall separate them. But 
antecedent to this, they first present themselves to the 
Monthly Meeting for the affairs of the church, where 
they reside ; there declaring their intentions to take one 
another as husband and w'ife, if the said meeting have 
nothing material to object against it. They are con- 
stantly asked the necessary questions, as in case of 
parents or guardians, if they have acquainted them with 
their intention, and have their consent, &c. The me- 
thod of the meeting is, to take a minute thereof, and 
to appoint proper persons to inquire of their conversa- 
tion and clearness from all others, and whether they 
have discharged their duty to their parents or guar- 
dians ; and to make report thereof .to the next Monthly 
Meeting, w^here the same parties are desired to give 
their attendance. In case it appears they have pro- 
ceeded orderly, the meeting passes their proposal, and 
so records it in their meeting-book. And in case the 
woman be a widow^, and hath children, due care is 
there taken, that provision also be made by her for the 
orphans, before the meeting passes the proposals of 
marriage ; advising the parties concerned, to appoint a 
convenient time and place, and to give fitting notice to 
their relations, and such friends and neighbours, as 
they desire should be the witnesses of their marriage; 
where they take one another by the hand, and by name 
promise reciprocally love and fidelity, after the manner 
before expressed. Of all w'hich proceedings, a narra- 
tive in way of certificate is made, to which the saic! 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 31 

parties first set their hands, thereby making it their act 
and deed ; and then divers relations, spectators and 
auditors set their names as witnesses of what they said 
and signed. And this certificate is afterwards registered 
in the record belonging to the meeting where the mar- 
riage is solemnized. Which regular method has been, 
as it deserves, adjudged in courts of law a good mar- 
riage ; where it has been by cross and ill people dis- 
puted and contested, for want of the accustomed for- 
malities of priest and ring, &c. ; ceremonies they have 
refused, not out of humour, but conscience reasonably 
grounded ; inasmuch as no Scripture example tells us, 
that the priest -had any other part, of old time, than 
that of a witness among the rest, before whom the Jews 
used to take one another. And therefore this people 
look upon it as an imposition to advance the power and 
profits of the clergy. And for the use of the ring, it 
is enough to say, that it was a heathenish and vain cus- 
tom, and never in practice among the people of God, 
Jews or primitive Christians. The words of the usual 
form, as, "With my body I thee worship," &c. are 
hardly defensible. In short, they are more careful, 
exact and regular, than any iorm now used ; and this 
mode is free of the inconveniences wdth which other 
methods are attended ; their care and checks being so 
many, and such, as that no clandestine marriages can 
be performed among them. 

XI. It may not be unfit to say something here of their 
births and burials, which make up so much of the pomp 
and solemnity of too many called Christians. For 
births, the parents name their own children ; which is 
usually some days after they are born, in the presence 
of the midwife, if she can be there, and those tha^ were 



32 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

at the birth ; who afterwards sign a certificate for that 
purpose prepared, of the birth and name of the child or 
children; which is recorded in a proper book, in the. 
Montrily Meeting to which the parents belong ; avoid- 
ing the accustomed ceremonies and festivals. 

XII. Their burials are performed with the same sim- 
plicity. If the body of the deceased be near any pub- 
lic meeting-place, it is usually carried thither, for the 
more convenient reception of those that accompany it 
to the burying ground ; and it so falls out sometimes, 
that while the meeting is gathering for the burial, some 
one or other has a word of exhortation, for the sake 
of the people there met together; after .which the body 
is borne away by young men, or else those that are of 
the neighbourhood, or those that were most of the inti- 
macy of the deceased party ; the corpse being in a plain 
coffin, without any covering or furniture upon it. At 
the ground, thev pause some time before they put the 
body into its grave, that if any there should have any 
thing upon them to exhort the people, they may not be 
disappointed, and that the relations may the more re- 
tiredly and solemnly take their last leave of the body 
of their departed kindred, and the spectators have a 
sense of mortality, by the occasion then given them to 
reflect upon their own latter end. Otherwise, they 
have no set rites or ceremonies on those occasions. 
Neither do the kindred of the deceased ever wear 
mourning; they looking upon it as a worldly ceremony 
and piece of pomp ; and that what mourning is fit for a 
Christian to have at the departure of a beloved relation 
or friend, should be w^orn in the mind, which only is 
sensible of the loss ; and the love they had to them, and 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 33 

remembrance of them, to be outwanlly expressed by a 
respect to their advice, and care of those they have left 
behind them, and their love of that they loved. Which 
conduct of theirs, though unmodish or unfashionable, 
leaves nothing of the substance of things neglected or 
undone. And as they aim at no more, so, that simpli- 
city of life is what they observe with great satisfaction, 
though it sometimes happens not to be w^ithout the 
mockeries of the vain world they live in. 

These things to be sure gave them a rough and dis- 
agreeable appearance with the generality, who thought 
them turners of the world upside dow^n, as indeed, in 
some sense they were ; but in no other than that where- 
in Paul was so charged, viz. to bring things back into 
their primitive and right order again. For these and 
such like practices of theirs were not the result of hu- 
mour, or for civil distinction, as some have fancied, but 
a fruit of inward sense, which God, through his holy 
fear, had begotten in them. They did not consider 
how to contradict the world, or distinguish themselves 
as a party from others : it being none of their business, 
as it was not their interest ; no, it was not the result of 
consultation or a framed design by which to declare or 
recommend schism or novelty. But God having given 
them a sight of themselves, they saw the w^hole world 
in the same glass of truth, and sensibly discerned the 
affections and passions of men, and the rise and ten- 
dency of things ; what it was that gratified the " lust of 
the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, which 
are not of the Father, but of the world." And from 
thence sprang, in the night of darkness and apostdcy 
which hath been over people through their degeneration 



34 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

from the Light and Spirit of God, these and many othei 
vain customs; which are seen by the heavenly day of 
Christ, that dawns in the soul, to be, either wrong in 
their original, or, by time and abuse, hurtful in their 
practice. And though these things seemed trivial to 
some, and rendered these people stingy and conceited 
in such persons' opinion, there was and is more in 
them, than they were aware of. 

It was not very easy to our primitive friends to make 
themselves sights and spectacles, and the scorn and de- 
rision of the world ; which they easily foresaw must be 
the consequence of so unfashionable a conversation in 
it. But here was the wisdom of God seen in the fool- 
ishness of these things ; ^r^^, That they discovered the 
satisfaction and concern that people had in and for the 
fashions of this w^orld, notwithstanding their high pre- 
tences to another, in that any disappointment about 
them came so very near them, as that the greatest hon* 
esty, virtue, wisdom and ability, were unwelcome with- 
out them. Secondly J It seasonably and profitably divid- 
ed conversation ; for this making their society uneasy 
to their relations and acquaintance, it gave them the 
opportunity of more retirement and solitude ; wherein 
they met wdth better company, even the Lord God 
their Redeemer, and grew strong in his love, power and 
wisdom, and were thereby better qualified for his ser- 
vice. And the success abundantly showed it : blessea 
be the name of the Lord, 

And though they were not great and learned in the 
esteem of this world, (for then they had not wanted 
followers upon their own credit and authority,) yet they 
were generally of the most sober of the several persua 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 35 

sions they were in, and of the most repute for roligion ; 
and many of them of good capacity, substan .e and ac- 
count among men. 

And also some among them wanted nor for parts, 
learning or estate; though then, as of olo, not many 
wise, or noble, &c. were called, or at least received the 
heavenly call, because of the cross that attended the 
profession of it in sincerity. But neither do parts nor 
learning make men the better Christians, though the 
better orators and disputants ; and it is the ignorance 
of people about the divine gift, that causes that vulgar 
and mischievous mistake. Theory and practice, spec- 
ulation and enjoyment, words and life, are two things. 
Oh! it is the penitent, the reformed, the lowly, the 
watchful, the self-denying and holy soul, that is the 
Christian. And that frame is the fruit and work of the 
Spirit, which is the life of Jesus; whose life, though 
hid in the fulness of it in God the Father, is shed 
abroad in the hearts of them that truly believe, accord- 
ing to their capacity. Oh ! that people did but know 
this to cleanse them, to circumcise them, to quicken 
them, and to make them new creatures indeed ; re-cre- 
ated or regenerated after Christ Jesus unto good works ; 
that they might live to God, and not to tnemselves, and 
offer up living prayers and living praises to the living 
God, through his own living Spirit, in which only he 
is to be worshipped in this gospel-day. 

Oh ! that they that read me could but feel me ; for 
my heart is affected with this merciful visitation of the 
Father of lights and spirits to this poor nation, and the 
whole world, through the same testimony. Why should 
the inhabitants thereof reject it ^ Why should they lose 



36 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

the blessed benefit of it ? Why should they not turn lo 
the Lord with all their hearts, and say from the heart, 
^^ Speak, Lord, for now thy poor servants hear? Oh! 
that thy will rnay be done, thy great, thy good and 
holy will, in earth as it is in heaven. Do it in us, do 
It upon us, do what thou wilt with us ; for we are thine, 
and desire to glorify thee our Creator, both for that, 
and because thou art our Redeemer ; for thou art re- 
deeming us from the earth, from the vanities and pollu- 
tions of it, to be a peculiar people unto thee." Oh! 
this were a, brave day for England, if so she could say 
in truth. But alas ! the case is otherwise : for which 
some of thine inhabitants, land of my nativity! have 
mourned over thee with bitter wailing and lamentation. 
Their heads have been indeed as waters, and their eyes 
as fountains of tears, because of thy transgression and 
stiffneckedness ; because thou wilt not hear, and fear, 
and return to the rock, even thy rock, O England ! from 
whence thou art hew^n. But be thou warned, land of 
great profession ! U: receive him into thy heart. Be- 
hold at that door it is, he hath stood so long knocking ; 
but thou wilt yet have none of him. Oh ! be thou 
awakened, lest Jerusalem's judgments do swiftly over- 
take thee, because of Jerusalem's sins that abound in 
thee. For she abounded in formality, but made void 
the weighty things of God's law, as thou daily doest. 

She w^ithstood the Son of God in the flesh, and thou 
resistest the Son of God in the Spirit. He would have 
gathered her as a hen gathereth her chickens under her 
wings, and she would not ; so would He have gathered 
thee out of thy lifeless profession, and have brought 
thee to inherit substance, to have known his power and 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 31 

kingdom ; for which He often knocked within, by bis 
grace and Spirit, and without, by his servants and wit- 
nesses. But on the contrary, as Jerusalem of old pej* 
secuted the manifestation of the Son of God in the flesh, 
and crucified him, and whipped and imprisoned his ser- 
vants ; so hast thou, land ! crucified to thyself afresh 
the Lord of life and glory, and done despite to his Spirit 
of grace; slighting the Fatherly visitation, and perse- 
cuting the blessed dispensers of it by thy laws and ma- 
gistrates ; though they have early and late pleaded with 
thee in the power and Spirit of the Lord, in love and 
meekness, that thou mightest know the Lord, and serve 
him, and become the glory of all lands. 

But thou hast evilly entreated and requited them. 
Thou hast set at nought all their counsel, and w^ouldst 
hiave none of their reproof, as thou shouldst have had. 
Their appearance was too strait, and their qualifications 
were too mean for thee to receive them ; like the Jews 
of old, that cried, «' Is not this the carpenter's son, and 
are not his brethren among us ; w^hich of the scribes, 
of the learned (the orthodox) believe in him?" prophe- 
sying their fall in a year or two, and making and 
executing severe laws to bring it to pass ; endeavouring 
to terrify them out of their holy way, or destroy them 
for abiding faithful to it. But thou hast seen how 
many governments that rose against them, and deter- 
mined their downfall, have been overturned and extin- 
guished, and that they are still preserved, and become 
a great and a considerable people, among the middle 
sort of thy numerous inhabitants. And notwithstand- 
ing the many diflSculties without and within, w^hich they 
have laboured under, since the Lord God Eternal first 
4 



3S RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

gatheicti them, they are an increasing people ; the Lord 
still adding unto them, in divers parts, such as shall be 
saved, if they persevere to the end. And to thee, 
England! were they, and are they lifted up as a stan- 
dard, and as a city set upon a hill, and to the nations 
round about thee, that in their light thou mayest come 
to see light, even in Christ Jesus, the light of the world ; 
and therefore thy light, and life too, if thou wouldst but 
turn from thy many evil ways, and receive and obey it. 
For in the Light of the Lamb must the nations of them 
that are saved walk, as the Scripture testifies. 

Remember, nation of great profession ! how the 
Lord has waited upon thee since the daw^ning of re- 
formation, and the many mercies and judgments by 
which he has pleaded with thee; and awake and arise 
out of thy deep sleep, and yet hear his word in thy 
heart, that thou mayst live. 

Let not this thy day of visitation pass over thy head, 
nor neglect thou so great salvation as is this which is 
come to thy house, England! for why shouldst thou 
die, land that God desires to bless.'* Be assured it 
is He that has been in the midst of this people, in the 
midst of thee ; .md not a delusion, as thy mistaken 
teachers have made thee believe. And this thou shalt 
find by their marks and fruits, if thou wilt consider them 
in the spirit of moderation. 

L They were changed men themselves before they 
went about to change others. Their hearts were rent 
as well as their garments ; and they knew the power and 
work of God upon them And this was seen by the 
great al'er^tion it made, and the ir stricter course of life 



THE SOCIETV OF FRIENDS. 39 

and more Godly conversation that immediately followed 
upon it. 

II. They went not forth, or preached in their own 
time or will, but in the will of God ; and spoke not 
their own studied matter, but as they were opened and 
moved of his Spirit, with which they were well ac- 
quainted in their own conversion ; which cannot bo 
expressed to carnal men, so as to give them any intelli- 
gible account ; for to such it is, as Christ said, like the 
blowing of the wind, which no man knows, w^hence it 
cometh, or whither it goeth. Yet this proof and seal 
went along with their ministry, that many were turned 
from their lifeless professions, and the evil of their w^ays, 
to an inward and experimental knowledge of God, and 
an holy life, as thousands can witness. And as they 
freely received what they had to say from the Lord, so 
they freely administered it to others. 

III. The bent and stress of their ministry was con- 
version to God ; regeneration and holiness. Not 
schemes of doctrines and verbal creeds, or new forms 
of worship ; but a leaving off, in religion, the super- 
fluous, and reducing the ceremonious and formal part, 
and pressing earnestly the substantial, the necessary 
and profitable part to the soul ; as all, upon a serious 
reflection, must and do acknowledge. 

IV. They directed people to a principle in themselves, 
though not of themselves, by which all that they assert- 
ed, preached and exhorted others to, might be wrought 
in them, and know^n to them, through experience, to 
be true; which is an high and distinguishing mark of 
the truth of their ministry, both that they knew what 
they said, and were not afraid of coming to the test. 



40 RISE AND PROGRElS OF 

For as they were bold from certainty, so they required 
conformity upon no human authority, but upon convic 
tion, and the conviction of this principle, which they 
asserted was in them that they preached unto ; and 
unto that they directed them, that they might examine 
and prove the reality of those things which they had 
affirmed of it, as to its manifestation and work in man. 
And this is more than the many ministers in the world 
pretended to. They declare of religion, say many things 
true, in words, of God, Christ, and the Spirit; of holi- 
ness and heaven ; that all men should repent and amend 
their lives, or they will go to hell, &c. But which of 
them all pretend to speak of their own knowledge and 
experience ; or ever directed to a divine principle, or 
agent, placed of God in man, to help him ; and how to 
know it, and wait to feel its power to work that good 
and acceptable will of God in them ? 

Some of them indeed have spoken of the Spirit, and 
the operations of it to sanctification, and performance 
of worship to God ; but where and how to find it, and 
wait in it to perform our duty to God, was yet as a 
mystery to be declared by this farther degree of refor- 
mation. So that this people did not only in words, 
more than equally press repentance, conversion and 
holiness, but did it knowingly and experimentally ; and 
directed those to whom they preached, to a sufficient 
principle ; and told them where it was, and by what 
tokens they might know it, and which way they might 
experience the power and efficacy of it to their souls* 
happiness. Which is more than theory and specula- 
tion, upon which most other ministers depend ; fo) 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS 41 

here is certainty ; a bottom upon which man iiiay boldlj 
appear before God in the great day of account. 

V. They reached to the inward state and condition 
of people, which is an evidence of the virtue of their 
principle, and of their ministering from it, and not from 
their own imaginations, glosses, or comments upon 
Scripture. For nothing reaches the heart, but what is 
from the heart, or pierces the conscience, but what 
comes from a living conscience. Insomuch that it hath 
often happened, where people have, under secrecy, 
revealed their state or condition to some choice friends 
for advice or ease, they have been so particularly di- 
rected in the ministry of this people, that they have 
challenged their friends w'ith discovering their secrets, 
and telling their preachers their cases, to whom a word 
had not been spoken. Yea, the very thoughts and 
purposes of the hearts of many have been so plainly 
detected, that they have, like Nathaniel, cried out, of 
this inw^ard appearance of Christ: ''Thou art the Son 
of God, thou art the King of Israel." And those that 
have embraced this divine principle have found this 
mark of its truth and divinity, (as the woman of Sama- 
ria did of Christ, when in the flesh, that he was the 
Messiah,) viz. " It had told them all that ever they had 
done ;" showm them their insides, the most inward se- 
crets of their hearts, and laid judgment to the line, and 
righteousness to the plummet ; of w^hich thousands can, 
at this day, give in their witness. So that nothing has 
been affirmed by this people, of the power and virtue 
of this heavenly principle, that such as have turned to 
it have not found true, and more ; and that one half 

4* 



4.2 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

had not been told them of what they have seen of th« 
power, purity, wisdom and goodness of God therein. 

VI. The accomplishments with which this principle 
fitted, even some of the meanest of this people, for 
their work and service ; furnishing some of them with 
an extraordinary understanding in divine things, and 
an admirable fluency and taking way of expression, 
which gave occasion to some to wonder, saying of 
them, as of their Master, '« Is not this such a mechanic's 
son, how came he by this learning?" As from thence 
others took occasion to suspect and insinuate they were 
Jesuits in disguise, (who had the reputation of learned 
men for an age past,) though there was not the least 
ground of truth for any such reflection ; in that their 
ministers are know^n, the places of their abode, their 
kindred and education. 

VII. That they came forth low, and despised and 
hated, as the primitive Christians did, and not by the 
help of worldly wdsdom or power, as former reforma- 
tions, in part, have done. But in all things it may be 
said, this people were brought forth in the cross ; in a 
contradiction to the ways, worships, fashions and cus- 
toms of this world ; yea, against wind and tide, that so 
no flesh might glory before God. 

VIII. They could have no design to themselves in 
this work, thus to expose themselves to scorn and 
abuse ; to spend and be spent ; leaving wife and chil- 
dren, house and land, and all that can be accounted 
dear to men, with their lives in their hands, being daily 
m jeopardy, to declare this primitive message, revived 
in their spirits, by the good Spirit and power of G^d, 
viz. 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 43 

Txhat God is light, and in him is no darkness at all; 
«ind that he has sent his Son a light into the world, to 
enlighten all men in order to salvation ; and that they 
that say they have fellowship with God, and are his 
children and people, and yet walk in darkness, (viz. in 
disobedience to the light in their consciences,) and 
after the vanity of this world, they lie, and do not the 
truth. But that all such as love the light, and bring 
their deeds to it, and walk in the light, as God is light, 
the blood of Jesus Christ his Son, should cleanse them 
from all sin. Thus John i. 4, 19. Chap. iii. 20, 21. 
] John, i. 5, 6, 7 

IX. Their kno*vn great constancy and patience in 
suffering for their testimony, in all the branches of it; 
and that sometimes unto death, by beatings, bruisings, 
long and crowded imprisonments, and noisome dun- 
geons ; four of them in New England dying by the 
hands of the executioner, purely for preaching amongst 
that people ; besides banishments and excessive plun- 
ders and sequestrations of their goods and estates, 
almost in all parts, not easily to be expressed, and less 
to have been endured, but by those that have the sup- 
port of a good and glorious cause ; refusing deliverance 
by any indirect ways or means, as often as it was offer- 
ed unto them. 

X. That they did not only not show any disposition 
to revenge, when it was at any time in their power, but 
forgave their cruel enemies ; showing mercy to those 
that had none for them. 

XI. Their plainness with those in authority, like the 
ancient prophets, not fearing to tell them to their faces 
of their private and public sins ; and their prophecies 



44 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

to them of their afflictions and downfall, wher/ in the 
top of their glory ; also of some national judgments, as 
of the plague, and fire of London, in express terms; 
and likewise particular ones to divers persecutors, 
which accordingly overtook them, that were very re- 
markable 'f\ the places where they dwelt ; which in 
time may oe made public for the glory of God. 

Thus, reader, thou seest this people in their rise, 
principles, ministry and progress, both their general and 
particular testimony ; by which thou mayest be informed 
how, and upon what foot they sprang and became so 
considerable a people. It remains next that I show also 
their care, conduct and discipline, as a Christian and re- 
formed society, that they might be found living up to 
their own principles and profession. And this, the 
rather, because they have hardly suffered more in their 
character from the unjust charge of error, than by the 
false imputation of disorder ; which calumny, indeed, 
has not failed to follow all the true steps that were ever 
made to reformation, and under which reproach none 
suffered more than the primitive Christians themselves, 
that were the honour of Christianity, and the great 
lights and examples of their ow^n and succeeding 
ages. 

This people increasing daily both in town and 
country, an holy care fell upon some of the elders 
among them, for the benefit and service of the church. 
And the first business in their view, after the example 
of the primitive saints, was the exercise of charity; 
to supply the necessities of the poor, and answer the 
like occasions. Wherefore collections were early and 
liberally made for that and divers other services in the 



THK SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 45 

nhurch, and intrusted with faithful men, fearing God, 
and of good report, who were not weary in well-doing; 
fidding often of their own, in large proportions, which 
they never brought to account, or desired should be 
known, much less restored to them, that none might 
want, nor any service be retarded or disappointed. 

They were also very careful that every one that be- 
longed to them answered their profession in their beha- 
viour among men, upon all occasions; that they lived 
peaceably, and were in all things good examples. They 
found themselves engaged to record their sufferings and 
services ; and in case of marriage, which they could 
not perform in the usual methods of the nation, but 
among themselves, they took care that all things were 
clear between the parties and all others. And it was 
then rare that any one entertained an inclination to a 
person on that account, till he or she had communi- 
cated it secretly to some very weighty and eminent 
friends among them, that they might have a sense of 
the matter ; looking to the counsel and unity of their 
brethren as of great moment to them. But because the 
charge of the poor, the number of orphans, marriages, 
sufferings and other matters multiplied, and that it was 
good that the churches w^ere in some way and method 
of proceeding in such affairs among them, to the end 
they might the better correspond upon occasion, where 
a member of one meeting might have to do with one 
of another ; it pleased the Lord in his wisdom and 
goodness, to open the understanding of the first Instru- 
Uient of this dispensation of life, about a good and or- 
derly way of proceeding; who felt an toly concern to 
visit the churches in person throughout this nation, to 



46 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

begin and establish it among them. And by his epistles 
the like was done in other nations and provinces abroad, 
which he also afterwards visited, and helped in that 
service ; which shall be observed wl.en I come to speak 
of him. 

Now the care, conduct and discipline, I have been 
speaking of, and which are now practised among this 
people, is as foUoweth. 

This godly elder, in every country where he tra- 
velled, exhorted them, that some out of every meet- 
mg for worship, should meet together once in the 
month, to confer about the wants and occasions of the 
church. And as the case required, so those Monthly 
Meetings were fewer or more in number in every re- 
spective county : four or six meetings for worship, usu- 
ally making one monthly meeting for business. And 
accordingly the brethren met him from place to place, 
and began the said meetings, viz. : For the poor, or- 
phans, orderly walking, integrity to their profession, 
births, marriages, burials, sufferings, &c. And that 
these Monthly Meetings should in each county, make 
up one Quarterly Meeting, where the most zealous and 
eminent friends of the county should assemble to com- 
municate, advise and help one another, especially w^hen 
any business seemed difficult, or a Monthly Meeting 
was tender of determining a matter. 

Also that these several Quarterly Meetings should 
digest the reports of their Monthly Meetings, and pre- 
pare one for each respective county against the Yearly 
Meeting, in which all Quarterly Meetings resolve ; 
which is held in London ; where the churches in this 
nat'on, and other nations and j«rovinces, meet by cho- 



THE SOCIKTY OF FRIKNUS. 47 

sen members of their respective counties, both mutually 
to communicate their church-aifairs, and to advise, and 
be advi:ed, in any depending case, to edification : also 
to provL.le a requisite stock for the discharge of general 
expenses for general services in the church, not need 
ful to be here particularized. 

At these meetings any of the members of the churches 
may come, if they please, and speak their minds freely, 
in the fear of God, to any matter ; but the mind of each 
Quarterly Meeting, therein represented, is chiefly un- 
derstood, as to particular cases, in the sense delivered 
by the persons deputed, or chosen for that service by 
the said meeting. 

During their Yearly Meeting, to which their other 
meetings refer in their order, and natui'ally resolve 
themselves, care is taken by a select number for that 
service, chosen by the general assembly, to draw up 
the minutes of the said meeting, upon the several mat- 
ters that have been under consideration therein, to the 
end that the respective Quarterly and Monthly Meetings 
may be informed of all proceedings ; together with a 
general exhortation to holiness, unity and charity. Of 
all which proceedings in the Yearly, Monthly and Quar- 
terly meetings, due record is kept by some one appoint- 
ed for that service, or that hath voluntarily undertaken 
it. These meetings are opened, and usually concluded, 
in their solemn w^aiting upon God, who is sometimes 
graciously pleased to answer them w^ith as signal evi- 
dences of his love and presence, as in any of their meet- 
ings of worship. 

It is further to be noted, that in these solemn assem- 
blies for the ehurchek' service, there is no one presides 



48 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

among them after the manner of the assemblies of other 
people ; Christ only being their Presiclent, as He is 
pleased to appear in life and wisdom in any one or 
more of them ; to whom, whatever be their capacity or 
degree, the rest adhere with a firm unity, not of author- 
ity, but conviction, which is the divine authority and 
way of Christ's power and Spirit in his people : making 
good his blessed promise, that he would be in the 
midst of his, where and whenever they were met to- 
gether in his name, even to the end of the world. So 
be it. 

Now it may be expected, I should here set down 
what sort of authority is exercised by this people, upon 
such members of their society as correspond not in their 
lives with their profession, and that are refractory to 
this good and w'holesome order settled among them; 
and the rather, because they have not wanted their re- 
proach and sufferings from some tongues and pens, 
upon this occasion, in a plentiful manner. 

The power they exercise, is such as Christ has given 
to his own people, to the end of the w^orld, in the per 
sons of his disciples, viz. to oversee, exhort, reprove, 
and after long suffering and waiting upon the disobe- 
dient and refractory, to disown them, as any more of 
their communion, or that they will any longer stand 
charged in the sight and judgment of God or men, w^ith 
their conversation or behaviour, as any of them, until 
they repent. The subject-matter about w^hich this au- 
thority, in any of the foregoing branches of it, is exer- 
cised ; is first, in relation to common and general prac- 
tice ; and secondly, about those things that more strictly 
refer to their own character and profession, and which 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 49 

distinguish them from all othei professors of Christian- 
ity ; avoiding two extremes upon which many split, viz. 
persecution and libertinism ; that is, a coercive power, 
to whip people into the temple ; that such as will not 
conform, though against faith and conscience, shall be 
punished in their persons or estates : or leaving all loose 
and at large, as to practice, and so unaccountable to 
all but God and the magistrate. To which hurtful ex 
treme, nothing has more contributed than the abuse of 
church power, by such as suffer their passion and pri- 
vate interests to prevail with them to carry it to outward 
force and corporal punishment — a practice they have 
been taught to dislike, by their extreme sufferings, as 
well as their known principle for an universal liberty of 
conscience. 

On the other hand, they equally dislike an indepen- 
dency in society ; an unaccountableness, in practice 
and conversation, to the rules and terms of their own 
communion, and to those that are the members of it. 
They distinguish between imposing any practice that 
immediately regards faith or worship, (which is never 
to be done or suffered, or submitted unto) and requir- 
ing Christian compliance with those methods that only 
respect church-business in its more civil part and con- 
cern ; and that regard the discreet and orderly main- 
tenance of the character of the society as a sober and 
religious community. In short, what is for the promo- 
tion of holiness and charity, that men may practise what 
they profess, live up to their own principles, and not be 
at liberty to give the lie to their own profession without 
rebuke, is their use and limit of church power. Tiiey 
compel none to join them, but oblige those that are of 
5 



50 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

them to walk suitably, or they are denied by thern thai 
is all the mark they set upon them, and the power they 
exeri ise, or judge a Christian society can exercise, upon 
those that are the members of it. 

Tl.e way of their proceeding against such as have 
lapsed or transgressed, is this: he is visited by some 
of them, and the matter of fact laid home to him, be iV 
any evil practice against known and general virtue, or 
any branch of their particular testimony, which he, in 
common, professeth with them. They labour with him 
in much love and zeal, for the good of his soul, the 
honour of God, and reputation of their profession, to 
own his fault and condemn it, in as ample a manner 
as the evil or scandal was given by him ; which for the 
most part is performed by some written testimony under 
the party's hand: and if it so happen, that the party 
prove refractory, and is not willing to clear the truth 
they profess, from the reproach of his or her evil doing 
or unfaithfulness, they, after repeated entreaties and 
due waiting for a token of repentance, give forth a 
paper to disown such a fact, and the party offending ; 
recording the same as a testimony of their care for the 
honour of the truth they profess. 

And if he or she shall clear their profession and 
• hernselves by sincere acknowledgment of their fault, 
and godly sorrow^ for so doing, they are received and 
looked upon again as members of their communion. 
For as God, so his true people, upbraid no man aftei 
repentance. 

This is the account I had to give cf the people of 
God ^.alled Quakers, as to their rise, appearance, prin 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENI»S. 51 

ciples and practices in this age of the world, both with 
respect to their faith and worship, discipline and con- 
versation. And I judge it very proper in this place, 
because it is to preface the journal of the first blessed 
and glorious instrument of this work, and for a testi- 
mony to him in his singular qualifications and services, 
in which he abundantly excelled in this day, and which 
are worthy to be set forth as an example to all succeed- 
ing times, to the glory of the Most High God, and for 
a just memorial to that worthy and excellent man. His 
faithful servant and apostle to this generation of the 
world. 

I am now come to the third head or branch of my 
subject, viz. The instrumental author. For it is natu- 
ral for some to say. Well, here is the people and work, 
but where and who was the man, the instrument — he 
that in this age was sent to begin this w^ork and people ? 
I shall, as God shall enable me, declare who and what 
he was; not only by report of others, but from my own 
long and most inward converse, and intimate know- 
ledge of him ; for which my soul blesseth God as it 
hath often done: and I doubt not, but by that time I 
have discharged myself of this part of my subject; my 
serious readers will believe I had good cause so to do. 

The blessed instrument of and in this day of God^ 
and of whom I am now about to write, was George 
Fox, distinguished from another of that name, by that 
other's addition oi younger to his name, in all his writ- 
ings ; no* that he was so in years, but that he was so 
m the Truth: but he was also a worthy man, witness 
and servant of God in his time. 

But this George Fox was born in Leicestershire 



62 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

about the year 1624. He descended of honest and suf* 
ficient parents, who endeavoured to bring him up, as 
they did the rest of their children, in the way and wor- 
ship of the nation : especially his mother, who w^as a 
w^onian accomplished above most of her degree in the 
place w^here she lived. But from a child he appeared 
of another frame of mind than the rest of his brethren ; 
being more religious, inward, still, solid, and observing 
beyond his years, as the answers he would give, and 
the questions he would put, upon occasion, manifested, 
to the astonishment of those that heard him, especially 
in divine things. 

His mother, taking notice of his singular temper, and 
the gravity, wnsdom and piety, that very early shined 
through him, refusing childish and vain sports and 
company when very young, was tender and indulgent 
over him, so that from her he met with little difficulty. 
As to his employment, he was brought up in country 
business, and as he took most delight in sheep, so he 
was very skilful in them ; an employment that very well 
suited his mind in several respects, both for its inno- 
cency and solitude ; and was a just emblem of his after 
ministry and service. 

I shall not break in upon his own account, which is 
by much the best that can be given ; and therefore 
desire what I can, to avoid saying any thing of what is 
said already, as to the particular passages of his coming 
forth : but, in general, when he was somewhat above 
twenty, he left his friends, and visited the most retired 
and religious people in those parts. And some there 
were in this nation, who waited for the consolation of 
Israel, night an 1 day, as Zacharias, Anna, and gooc! 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 53 

old Simeon dii of old time. To these he was sent 
and these he sought out in the neighbouring counties, 
and among them he sojourned, till his more ample minis* 
try came upon him. At this time he taught, and was an 
example of silence, endeavouring to bring them from 
self-perform.ances ; testifying of, and turning them to 
the light of Christ within them, and encouraging them 
*o wait in patience, and to feel the power of it to stir 
in their hearts, that their knowledge and worship of 
God might stand in the power of an endless life, which 
was to be found in the light, as it was obeyed in the 
manifestation of it in man. For in the Word w^as life, 
and that life is the light of men. Life in the Word, 
light in men ; and life in men too, as the light is obey- 
ed : the children of the light living by the life of the 
Word, by which the Word begets them again to God, 
which is the regeneration and new birth, without which 
there is no coming into the kingdom of God : and to 
which whoever comes, is greater than John ; that is, 
than John's dispensation, which was not that of the 
kingdom, but the consummation of the legal, and fore- 
running of the gospel-times, the time of the kingdom. 
Accordingly several meetings were gathered in those 
parts ; and thus his time was employed for some years. 
In 1652, he being in his usual retirement, his mine 
exercised towards the Lord, upon a very high moun- 
tain (in some of the hither parts of Yorkshire, as I take 
it) he had a vision of the great work of God in the earth, 
and of the way that he w^as to go forth in a public min- 
istry, to begin it. He saw people as thick as motes in 
.he sun, that should in time be brought home to the 
Lord, that there might be but one Shepherd and one 
5* 



54 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

sheepfolcl in all the earth. There his eye was directed 
northward, beholding a great people that should receive 
him and his message in those parts. Upon this moun- 
tain he was moved of the Lord to sound out his great 
and notable day, as if he had been in a great auditory . 
and from tnence went north, as the Lord had shown 
him. And in every place where he came, if not before 
became to it, he had his particular exercise and service 
shown to him, so that the Lord was his Leader indeed. 
For it was not in vain that he travelled ; God in most 
places sealing his commission with the convincemenl 
of some of all sorts, as well publicans as sober pro- 
fessors of religion. Some of the first and most eminent 
of those that came forth in a public ministry, and which 
are now at rest, were Richard Farnsworth, James Nay- 
ler, William Dewsberry, Thomas Aldam, Francis 
Howgil, Edward Burroughs, John Camm, John Aud- 
land, Richard Hubberthorn, T. Taylor, T. Holmes, 
Alexander Parker, William Simson, William Caton, 
John Stubbs, Robert Withers, Thomas Low, Josiah 
Coale, John Burnyeat, Robert Lodge, Thomas Salt- 
house, and many more worthies, that cannot be well 
here named ; together with divers yet living of the first 
and great convincement, who, after the knowledge of 
God's purging judgment in themselves, and some time 
of waiting in silence upon him, to feel and receive 
power from on high to speak in his name, (which none 
else rightly can, though they may use the same words) 
they felt its divine motions, and were frequently drawn 
forth, especially to visit the public assemblies, to re- 
prove, inform, an I exhort them ; sometimes in markets, 
fairs, streets, and by the highway side : calling people 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 53 

to repentance, and to turn to the Lord with their hearts 
as well as their mouths ; directing them to the light of 
Christ within them, to see, examine, and consider their 
w^ays by, and to eschew the evil, and do the good and 
acceptable will of God. And they suffered great hard- 
ships for this their love and good will ; being often 
stocked, stoned, beaten, whipped and imprisoned, 
though honest men, and of good report where they 
lived, that had left wives, children, houses, and lands, 
to visit them with a living call to repentance. And 
though the priests generally set themselves to oppose 
them, and write against them, and insinuated most false 
and scandalous stories to defame them, stirring up the 
magistrates to suppress them, especially in those nor- 
thern parts; yet God was pleased so to fill them with 
his living power, and give them such an open door of 
utterance in his service, that there was a mighty con- 
vincement over those parts. 

And through the tender and singular indulgence of 
Judge Bradshaw, Judge Fell, and Colonel West, in 
the infancy of things, the priests were never able to 
gain the point they laboured for, which was to have 
proceeded to blood; and, if possible, Herod-like, by a 
cruel exercise of the civil power, to have cut them off, 
and rooted them out of the country: but especially 
Judge Fell, who was not only a check to their rage in 
the course of legal proceedings, but otherwise upon 
occasion, and finally countenanced this people. For 
his wife receiving the Truth with the first, it had that 
influence upon his spirit, being a just and wise man^ 
and seeing in his own wife and family a full confuta- 
tion of all thf popular clamours against the way of truth. 



56 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

that he covered them what he could, and freely opened 
his doors, and gave up his house to his wife and hei 
fri^;*ds; not valuing the reproach of ignorant or evil 
minded people ; which I here mention to his or he? 
honour, and which will be, I believe, an honour and a 
blessing to such of their name and family, as shall be 
found in that tenderness, humility, love and zeal for 
the Truth and people of the Lord. 

That house was for some years, at first especially, tii^ 
the Truth had opened its way into the southern parts 
of this island, an eminent receptacle of this people. 
Others, of good note and substance in those northern 
countries, had also opened their houses, together with 
their hearts, to the many publishers, that, in a short 
time, the Lord had raised to declare his salvation to 
the people ; and where meetings of the Lord's messen- 
gers w^ere frequently held, to communicate their ser- 
vices and exercises, and comfort and edify one another 
in their blessed ministrv. 

But lest this may be thought a digression, having 
touched upon this before, I return to this excellent man ; 
and for his personal qualities, both natural, moral and 
divine, as they appeared in his converse with the 
brethren, and in the church of God, take as follows : 

L He was a man that God endued with a clear and 
wonderful depth ; a discerner of others' spirits, and very 
much a master of his own. And though that side of 
his understanding which lay next to the w^orld, and es- 
pecially the expression of it, might sound uncouth and 
unfashionable to nice ears, his matter w^as nevertheless 
very profound ; and would not only bear to be often 
considered, but the more it was so, the more weight) 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 57 

and instructing it appeared. And as abiuplly and 
brokenly as sometimes his sentences would seem to 
fnll from him, about divine things, it is well known 
they were often as texts to many fairer declarations. 
And, indeed, it showed beyond all contradiction, that 
God sent him ; in that no art or parts had any share in 
the matter or manner of his ministry ; and that so many 
great, excellent, and necessary truths as he came forth 
to preach to mankind, had therefore nothing of man's 
wit or wisdom to recommend them. So that as to man 
he was an original, being no man's copy. And his. 
ministry and writings show they are from one that was 
not taught of man, nor had learned what he said by 
study. Nor were they notional or speculative, but sen- 
sible and practical truths, tending to conversion and 
regeneration, and the setting up of the kingdom of God 
in the hearts of men. And the way of it was his work. 
So that I have many times been overcome in myself, 
and been made to say, with my Lord and Master, upon 
the like occasion, '^ I thank thee, Father, Lord of 
heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from 
the wise and prudent of this world, and revealed them 
to babes." For many times hath my soul bowed in an 
humble thankfulness to the Lord, that he did not choose 
any of the wise and learned of this world to be the first 
messenger in our age, of his blessed truth to men ; but 
that he took one that was not of high degree, or elegant 
speech, or learned after the way of this world, that his 
message and work, he sent him to do, might come with 
less suspicion, or jealousy of human wisdom and inte- 
rest, and with more force and clearness upon the con- 
sciences of those that sincerely sought the wav of truth 



58 RISE AND PROGRESS OP 

in the love of it. I say, beholding with the eye of m^ 
mind, which the God of heaven had opened in rne, the 
marks of God's finger and hand visibly in this testi- 
mony, from the clearness of the principle, the power 
and efficacy of it, in the exemplary sobriety, plainness, 
zeal, steadiness, humility, gravity, punctuality, charity 
and circumspect care in the government of church 
affairs, which shined in his and their life and testimcny 
that God employed in this work, it greatly confirmed 
me that it was of God, and engaged my soul in a deep 
love, fear, reverence and thankfulness for his love and 
mercy therein to mankind : in which mind I remain, 
and shall, I hope, through the Lord's strength, to the 
end of my days. 

II. In his testimony or ministry, he much laboured 
to open truth to the people's understandings, and to 
bottom them upon the principle and principal, Christ 
Jesus, the Light of the \vorld ; that by bringing them 
to something that w^as from God in themselves, they 
might the better know^ and judge of him and them- 
selves. 

III. He had an extraordinary gift in opening the 
Scriptures. He would go to the marrow of things, and 
show the mind, harmony and fulfilling of them with 
much plainness, and to great comfort and edification. 

IV. The mystery of the first and second Adam, of 
the fall and restoration, of the law and gospel, of sha- 
dows and substance, of the servant's and son's state, 
and the fulfilling of the Scriptures in Christ, and by 
Christ, the true Light, in all that are his, through the 
obedience of faith, were much of the substance and 
drif", of his testimonies. In all which he was witnessed 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 59 

to be of God ; beins^ sensibly felt to speak that which 
he had received of Christ, and was his ow^n experience, 
in that which never errs nor fails. 

V. But above all, he excelled in prayer. The in- 
wardness and weight of his spirit, the reverence and 
solemnity of his address and behaviour, and the few- 
ness and fulness of his w^ords, have often struck even 
strangers wdth admiration, as they used to reach others 
with consolation. The most awful, living, reverent 
frame I ever felt or beheld, I must say, was his in 
prayer. And truly it was a testimony he knew and 
lived nearer to the Lord than other men ; for they that 
know him most, will see most reason to approach him 
with reverence and fear. 

VI. He was of an innocent life, no busybody, nor 
self-seeker ; neither touchy nor critical. What fell from 
him w^as very inoffensive, if not very edifying. So 
meek, contented, modest, easy, steady, tender, it was 
a pleasure to be in his company. He exercised no 
authority but over evil, and that every where, and in 
all ; but with love, compassion, and long suffering. A 
most merciful man, as ready to forgive, as unapt to take 
or give an offence. Thousands can truly say he was 
of an excellent spirit and savour among them ; and be- 
cause thereof, the most excellent spirits loved him with 
an unfeigned and unfading love. 

Vn. He was an incessant labourer: for in his youn- 
ger time, before his many, great and deep sufferings 
■^nd travels had enfeebled his body for itinerant services, 
he laboured much in the word and doctrine, and dis- 
cipline^ in England, Scotland and Ireland; turning 
oi?ny to God, and confirming those that were con 



60 RISE ANT> PROGRESS OF 

vinced of the truth, and settling good oider, as U. 
church affairs, among them. And towards the conclu* 
sion of his travelling services, between the years 1671 
and 1677, he visited the churches of Christ in the plan- 
tations in America, and in the United Provinces, and 
Germany, as his journal relates, to the convincement 
and consolation of many. After that time he chiefly 
resided in and about the city of London. And besides 
his labour in the ministry, which was frequent and ser- 
viceable, he wrote much, both to them that are within, 
and those that are without the communion. But the 
care he took of the affairs of the church in general was 
very great. 

VIII. He was often where the records of the busi- 
ness of the church are kept, and where the letters from 
the many meetings of God's people over all the world 
use to come. Which letters he had read to him, and 
communicated them to the meeting that is weekly held 
for such services ; and he w^ould be sure to stir them up 
to answer them, especially in suffering cases; showing 
great sympathy and compassion upon all such occasions ; 
carefully looking into the respective cases, and endea- 
vouring speedy relief, according to the nature of them. 
So that the churches, or any of the suffering members 
thereof, were sure not to be forgotten or delayed in 
their desires, if he were there. 

IX. As he was unweaiied, so he was undaunted in 
his services for God and his people. He was no more 
to be moved to fear than to wrath. His behaviour at 
Derby, Litchfield, Appleby, before Oliver Cromwell, at 
Launceston, Scarborough, Worcester, and West.min- 
ster-Hall, with many other places and exercises, did 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 61 

Tibundantly evidence it, to his enemies as well as his 
friends. 

But as in the primitive times, some rose up against 
the blessed apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, even 
from among those that they had turned to the hope of 
the gospel, and they became their greatest trouble ; so 
this man of God had his share of suffering from some 
that were convinced by him, who, through prejudice 
or mistake, ran against him, as one that sought domi- 
nion over conscience, because he pressed, by his pre- 
sence or epistles, a ready and zealous compliance with 
such good and wholesome things as tended to an order- 
ly conversation about the affairs of the church, and in 
their walking before men. That which contributed 
much to this ill work was in some, a begrudging of this 
meek man the love and esteem he had and deserved in 
the hearts of the people ; and weakness in others, that 
were taken with their groundless suggestions of imposi- 
tion and blind obedience. 

They w^ould have had every man independent ; that 
as he had the principle in himself, he should stand or 
fall to that only, and nobody else : not considering that 
the principle is one in all ; and though the measure of 
light or grace might differ, yet the nature of it was the 
same ; and being so, they struck at the spiritual •. nity, 
which a people, guided by the same principle, are natu- 
rally led into : so that what is an evil to one, is so to 
all, and what is virtuous, honest, and of good repute 
to one, is so to all, from the sense and savour of the 
one universal principle which is common to all, and 
which the disaffected also profess to be the root of all 
true Christian fellow^ship, and that spirit into which thf 
6 



62 KISE AND PROGRESS OF 

people of God drink, and come to be spiritually-minded, 
an^' of one heart and one soul. 

Some ^veakly mistook good order in the government 
of church aflairs for discipline in worship, and that it 
was so pressed or recommended by him and othei 
brethren. And thereupon they were ready to reflect 
the same things that dissenters had very reasonably ob- 
jected upon the national churches, that have coercively 
pressed conformity to their respective creeds and wor- 
ships. Whereas these things related wholly to conver- 
sation, and the outward, (and as I may say,) civil part 
of the church ; that men should walk up to the princi- 
ples of their belief, and not be wanting in care and 
charity. But though some have stumbled and fallen, 
through mistakes, and an unreasonable obstinacy even 
to a prejudice ; yet blessed be God, the generality have 
returned to their first love, and seen the work of the 
enemy, that loses no opportunity or advantage by which 
he may check or hinder the work of God, and disquiet 
the peace of his church, and chill the love of his peo- 
ple to the truth, and one to another; and there is hope 
of divers of the few that yet are at a distance. 

In all these occasions, though there was no person 
the discontented struck so sharply at, as this good man, 
he bore all their weakness and prejudice, and returned 
not reflection for reflection ; but forgave them their 
weak and bitter speeches, praying for them, that they 
might have a sense of their hurt, and see the subtilty 
of the enemy to rend and divide, and return into their 
first love that thought no ill. 

And truly I must say, that though God had visibly 
^•Jothed him with a divine preference and authority, ana 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 63 

indeed his very presence expressed a religious majesty ; 
yet he never abused it ; but held his place in the church 
of God with great meekness, and a most engaging 
humility and moderation. For upon all occasions, like 
his blessed Master, he was a servant to all ; holding 
and exercising his eldership in the invisible power that 
had gathered them, w^ith reverence to the head and care 
over the body ; and w^as received, only in that spirit and 
power of Christ, as the first and chief elder in this age : 
who, as he was therefore wortbj^ of double honour, so 
for the same reason it was given by the faithful of this 
day, because his authority wax. .iward and not out- 
ward, and that he got it and kept it by the love of God, 
and power of an endless life. I write my knowledge, 
and not report, and my witness is true ; having been 
w^ith him for weeks and months together on divers oc- 
casions, and those of the nearest and most exercising 
nature ; and that by night and by day, by sea and by 
land ; in this and in foreign countries : and I can say, 
I never saw him out of his place, or not a match for 
every service or occasion. 

For in all things he acquitted himself like a man, 
yea, a strong man, a new and heavenly-minded man, a 
divine and a naturalist, and all of God Almighty's 
making. I have been surprised at his questions and 
answers in natural things ; that whilst he was ignorant 
of useless and sophistical science, he had in him the 
grounds of useful and commendable knowledge, and 
cherished it every where: civil beyond all forms of 
Dreeding, in his behaviour ; very temperate, eating 
Httle, and sleeping less, though a bulky person. 

Thus he lived and sojourned among us. And as he 



64 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

lived, so he died ; feeling the same eternai power thai 
had raised and preserved him, in his last moments. Sc 
full of assurance was he, that he triumphed over death ; 
and so even in his spirit to the last, as if death were 
hardly worth notice, or a mention : recommending to 
some of us with him, the dispatch and dispersion of an 
epistle just before given forth by him to the churches 
of Christ throughout the world, and his own books; 
but above all, friends, and of all friends, those in Ire- 
land and America; twice over saying, Mind poor friends 
in Ireland and America. 

And to some that came in and inquired how he 
found himself, he answered, ^' Never heed, the Lord's 
power is over all weakness and death ; the seed reigns, 
blessed be the Lord:" which was about four or five 
hours before his departure out of this world. He was 
at the great meeting near Lombard street, on the first 
day of the week, and it was the third following, about 
ten at night, when he left us. 

In a good old age he went, after having lived to see 
his children's children in the truth to many generations. 
He had the comfort of a short illness, and the blessing 
of a clear sense to the last : and we may truly say, with 
a man of God of old, that being dead, he yet speaketh : 
and though now^ absent in body, he is present in spirit • 
neither time nor place being able to interrupt the com 
munion of saints, or dissolve the fellowship of the 
spirits of the just. His works praise him, because they 
are to the praise of Him that wrought by him ; for which 
his memorial is and shall be blessed. I have done, as 
to this part of my subject, when I have left this short 
epitaph to his name : «' Many sons have done virtuousljf 



THE SOCIETY OF IRIENDS. 65 

m this day ; but dear George, thou excellest them 
all/' 

Ana now, friends, you that profess to walk in the 
way that this blessed man was sent of God to turn us 
into ; suffer, I beseech you, the word of exhortation, as 
well fathers as children, and elders as young men. 
The glory of this day, and foundation of the hope that 
has not made us ashamed since we were a people, you 
know, is that blessed principle of light and life of Christ 
which we profess, and direct all people to, as the great 
and divine instrument and agent of man's conversion 
to God. It was by this that we were first touched and 
effectually enlightened, as to our inward state ; which 
put us upon the consideration of our latter end ; causing 
us to set the Lord before our eyes, and to number our 
days, that we might apply our hearts to wisdom. In 
that day we judged not after the sight of the eye, o; 
after the hearing of the ear ; but according to the light 
and sense this blessed principle gave us, so w^e judged 
and acted in reference to things and persons, ourselves 
and others ; yea, towards God our Maker. For being 
quickened by it in our inward man, we could easily dis- 
cern the difference of things, and feel what was right, 
and what was wrong, and what was fit, and what not, 
both in reference to religious and civil concerns. That 
neing the ground of the fellowship of all saints, it was 
m that our fellowship stood. In this we desired to have 
a sense of one another, acted towards one another, and 
all men, in love, faithfulness, and fear. 

In feeling of the stirrings and motions of this prin- 
ciple in our hearts, we drew near to the Lord, and 



66 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

waited to be prepared by it, that we might feel draw- 
ings and movings before we approached the Lord in 
prayer, or opened our mouths in ministry. And in our 
beginning and ending with this, stood our comfort, per- 
vice, and edification. And as we ran faster or fell 
short in our services, we made burthens for ourselves 
to bear ; finding in ourselves a rebuke instead of an ac- 
ceptance; and in lieu of well-done, who has required 
this at your hands ? In that day we w^ere an exercised 
people, our very countenances and deportment de- 
clared it. 

Care for others was then much upon us, as well as 
for ourselves ; especially of the young convinced. Often 
had we the burthen of the word of the Lord to our 
neighbours, relations and acquaintance, and sometimes 
strangers also. We were in travail likewise for one 
another's preservation ; not seeking, but shunning occa- 
sions of any coldness or misunderstanding ; treating one 
another as those that believed and felt God present: 
which kept our conversation innocent, serious and 
weighty ; guarding ourselves against the cares and 
friendships of the world. 

We held the Truth in the spirit of it, and not in our 
own spirits, or after our own will and affections : they 
w^ere bowed and brought into subjection, insomuch tha^ 
it was visible to them that knew u*s. We did not think 
ourselves at our own disposal, to go where we list, or 
say or do w^hat we list or when we list. Our liberty 
stood in the liberty of the Spirit of Truth ; and no plea- 
sure, no profit, no fear, no favour could draw us from 
this retired, strict and watchful frame. We were so 
far from seeking occasions of company, that we avoided 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 6"^ 

them what we could ; pursuing our own business, with 
moderation, instead of meddling with other peoples, 
unnecessarily. 

Our words were few^ and savoury, our looks com- 
posed and weighty, and our w^hole deportment very 
observable. True it is, that this retired and strict sort 
of life from the liberty of the conversation of the world, 
exposed us to the censures of many, as humourists, 
conceited and self-righteous persons, &c. But it was 
our preservation from many snares, to w^hich others 
were continually exposed, by the prevalency of the lust 
of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, 
that wanted no occasions or temptations to excite them 
abroad in the converse of the world. 

I cannot forget the humility and chaste zeal of that 
day. Oh ! how constant at meetmgs, how retired in 
them, how firm to Truth's life as well as Truth's prin- 
ciples ! And how entire and united in our communion, 
as indeed became those that profess one Head, even 
Christ Jesus the Lord. 

This being the testimony and example the man of 
God, before- mentioned, was sent to declare and leave 
amongst us, and we having embraced the same as the 
merciful visitation of God to us, the w^ord of exhorta- 
tion at this time is. That we continue to be found in 
the way of this testimony, w-ith all zeal and integrity, 
and so much the more, by how much the day draweth 
near. 

And first, as to you, my beloved and much honoured 
brethren in Christ, that are in the exercise of the min- 
istry : Oh ! feel life in your ministry — let life be youi 
commission, your well-spring and treasury on all such 



68 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

occasions : else you well know, there can be no beget- 
ting to God, since nothing can quicken or make people 
alive to God, but the life of God ; and it must be a 
ministry in and from life, that enlivens any people to 
God. We have seen the fruit of all other ministries, 
by the few that are turned from the evil of their ways. 
It is not our parts, or memory, or the repetition of for- 
mer openings, in our own will and time, that will do 
God's work. A dry doctrinal ministry, however sound 
in words, can reach but the ear, and is but a dream at 
the best : there is another soundness, that is soundest 
of all, viz. : Christ the power of God. This is the key 
of David, that opens and none shuts, and shuts and 
none can open : as the oil to the lamp, and the soul to 
the body, so is that to the best of words : which made 
Christ to say, "My words, they are Spirit, and they 
are life ;" that is, they are from life, and therefore they 
make you alive, that receive them. If the disciples, 
that had lived with Jesus, were to stay at Jerusalem 
till they received it, much more must we wait to re- 
ceive before we minister, if we will turn people from 
darkness to light, and from Satan's power to God. 

I fervently bow my knees to the God and Father of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, that you may always be like- 
Tjoinded, that you may ever wait reverently, for the 
roming and opening of the Word of Life, and attend 
upon it in your ministry and service, th it you may serve 
God in his Spirit. And be it little or be it much, it is 
well ; for much is not too much, and the least is 
enough, if from the motion of God's Spirit ; and with- 
rut it, verily, never so little is too much, because to 
no profit. 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 6& 

For it is .he Spirit of the Lord immediately, oi 
through the ministry of his servants, that teacheth his 
people to profit ; and to be sure, so far as we take Him 
along with us in our services, so far we are profitable 
and no farther. For if it be the Lord that must work 
all things in us for our salvation, much more is it the 
Lord that must work in us for the conversion of others. 
If therefore it was once a cross to us to speak, though 
the Lord required it at our hands, let it never be so to 
be silent when he does not. 

It is one of the most dreadful sayings in the book of 
God, that " He that adds to the words of the prophecy 
of this book, God will add to him the plagues written 
in this book." To keep back the counsel of God is as 
terrible ; for ''• he that takes away from the words of the 
book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part 
out of the book of life." And truly, it has great cau- 
tion in it, to those that use the name of the Lord, to be 
well assured the Lord speaks, that they may not be 
found of the number of those that add to the words of 
the testimony of prophecy, which the Lord giveth them 
to bear ; nor yet to mince or diminish the same, both 
being so very offensive to God. 

Wherefore, brethren, let us be careful neither to out- 
go our Guide, nor yet loiter behind him ; since he that 
makes haste, may miss his way, and he that stays be- 
hind, lose his guide. For even those that have re- 
ceived the word of the Lord, had need wait for wisdom, 
that they may see how to divide the word aright : which 
Plainly implieth, that it is possible for one that hath re- 
ceived the w^ord of the Lord, to miss in the dividing 
and applicatioi of it ; which must come from an impa- 



70 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

tielfice of spirit, and a self-working, which makes an 
unsound and dangerous mixture, and will hardly beget 
a right-minded living people to God. 

I am earnest in this above all other considerations, 
as to public brethren ; w'ell knowing how much it con- 
cerns the present and future state and preservation ol 
the church of Christ Jesus, that has been gathered and 
built up by a living and powerful ministry, that the 
ministry be held, preserved and continued in the mani- 
festations, motions and supplies of the same life and 
power, from time to time. 

And wherever it is observed, that any do minister 
more from gifts and parts, than life and power, though 
they have an enlightened and doctrinal understanding, 
let them in time be advised and admonished for their 
preservation ; because insensibly such will come to de- 
pend upon a self-sufficiency ; to forsake Christ the living 
fountain, and hew out unto themselves cis'terns that will 
hold no living waters: and by degrees, such will come 
to draw others from w^aiting upon the gift of God in 
themselves, and to feel it in others, in order to their 
strength and refreshment, to Avait upon them, and to 
turn from God to man again, and so make shipwreck 
of the faith once delivered to the saints, and of a good 
conscience towards God ; which are only kept by that 
divine gift of life, that begat the one, and awakened 
and sanctified the other in the beginning. 

Nor is it enough, that we have known the divine 
gift, and in it have reached to the spirits in prison, and 
been the instruments of the convincing of others of the 
way of God, if we keep not as low anc poor in our- 
selves, and as depending upon the Lord, as ever: since 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 7: 

no memory, no repetitions of former openings, revela- 
tions or enjoyments, will bring a soul to God, or afford 
bread to the hungry, or water to the thirsty, unless life 
go with what we say ; and that must be waited for. 

Oh ! that we may have no other fountain, treasure or 
dependence ! That none may presume at any rate to 
act of themselves for God, because they have long 
acted from God ; that w^e may not supply want of w^ait- 
ing with our own wisdom, or think that we may take 
less care and more liberty in speaking than formerly ; 
and that where we do not feel the Lord, by his power, 
to open us and enlarge us, whatever be the expectation 
of the people, or has been our customary supply and 
character, we may not exceed or fill up the time w'ith 
our own. 

I hope we shall ever remember, who it was that said, 
«' Of yourselves ye can do nothing." Our sufficiency 
is in him. And if we are not to speak our own words, 
or take thought what we should say to men in our de- 
fence when exposed for our testimony, surely we ought 
to speak none of our own w^ords, or take thought what 
we shall say in our testimony and ministry, in the name 
of our Lord, to the souls of the people ; for then of all 
times, and of all other occasions, should it be fulfilled 
in us, «'for it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of 
my Father that vspeaketh in you." 

And indeed, the ministry of the Spirit must and does 
keep its analogy and agreement with the birth of the 
Spirit ; that as no man can inherit the kingdom of God, 
unless he be born of the Spirit, so no ministry can beget 
a soul to God, but that which is from the Spirit. For 
this, :s I said before, the disciples waited before they 



72 BISE AND PROGRESS OF 

went f jrth; and in this, our elder brethren, and mes* 
sengers of God in our day, waited, visited, and reached 
us. And having begun in the Spirit, let none ever 
hope or seek to be made perfect in the flesh. For 
what is the flesh to the Spirit, or the chaff* to the wheat ^ 
And if we keep in the Spirit, we shall keep in the unity 
of it, which is the ground of the fellowship. For by 
drinking into that one Spirit, we are made one people 
to God, and by it we are continued in the unity of the 
faith, and the bond of peace. No envying, no bitter- 
ness, no strife, can have place with us. We shall watch 
always for good, and not for evil, one over another, 
and rejoice exceedingly, and not begrudge at one an- 
other's increase in the riches of the grace with which 
God replenisheth his faithful servants. 

And brethren, as to you is committed the dispensa- 
tion of the oracles of God, which gives you frequent 
opportunities, and great place with the people among 
whom you travel, I beseech you that you would not 
think it sufficient to declare the Word of life in their 
assemblies, however edifying and comfortable ^uck 
opportunities may be to you and them : but, as was the 
practice of the man of God before mentioned, in great 
measure, when among us, to inquire the state of the 
several churches you visit ; who among them are afflict- 
ed or sick, who are tempted, and if any are unfaithful 
or obstinate ; and endeavour to issue those things in 
the wisdom and power of God, which will be a glori- 
ous crown upon your ministry. As that prepares your 
\vay in the hearts of the people, to receive you as men 
of God, so it gives you credit with them to do them 
good by your advice in other respects ; the afflicted will 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 73 

be comforted by you, the tempted strengthened, the 
sick refreshed, the unfaithful convicted and restored, 
and such as are obstinate, softened and fitted for recon- 
ciliation ; which is clinching the nail, and applying and 
fastening the general testimony, by this particular care 
of the several branches of it, in reference to them more 
immediately concerned in it. 

For though good and wise men, and elders too, may 
reside in such places, who are of worth and importance 
in the general, and in other places ; yet it does not 
always follow, that they may have the, room they de- 
serve in the hearts of the people they live among ; or 
some particular occasion may make it unfit for him or 
them to use that authority. But you that travel as 
God's messengers, if they receive you in the greater, 
shall they refuse you in the less ? And if they own the 
general testimony, can they withstand the particular ap- 
plication of it, in their own cases ? Thus ye will show^ 
yourselves workmen indeed, and carry your business 
before you, to the praise of His name, that hath called 
you from darkness to light, that you might turn others 
from Satan's power unto God and his kingdom, which 
is within. And Oh ! that there were more of such 
faithful labourers in the vineyard of the Lord! Never 
more need since the day of God. 

Wherefore I cannot but cry and call aloud to you, 
that have been long professors of the truth, and know 
the truth in the convincing powder of it, and have had 
a sober conversation among men, yet content yourselves 
only to know truth for yourselves, to go to meetings, 
and exercise an ordinary charity in the church, and an 
honest behaviour ^*n tbp woj-ld, j^nd limit yourselves 
7 



74 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

within these bounds; feeling little or no concern upoR 
your spirits for the glory of the Lord in the prosperity 
of his truth in the earth, more than to be glad that 
others succeed in such service. Arise ye in the name 
and power of the Lord Jesus ! Behold how white the 
fields are unto harvest, in this and other nations, and 
how few able and faithful labourers there are to work 
therein ! Your country-folks, neighbours and kindred 
want to know the Lord and his truth, and to walk in it. 
Does nothing lie at your door upon their account? 
Search and see:, and lose no time, I beseech you, for 
the Lord is at hand. 

I do not judge you; there is one which judgeth all 
men, and his judgment is true. You have mightily in- 
creased in your outward substance. May you equally 
increase in your inward riches, and do good with both, 
while you have a day to do good. Your enemies would 
once have taken what you had from you for his name's 
sake, in whom you have believed ; wherefore he has 
given you much of the world, in the face of your ene- 
mies. But Oh ! let it be your servant, and not your 
master ! Your diversion rather than your business ! 
Let the Lord be chiefly in your eye ; and ponder your 
ways, and see if God has nothing more for you to do : 
and if you find yourselves short in your account with 
him, then wait for his preparation, and be ready to re- 
ceive the word of command, and be not weary of well- 
doing, when you have put your hand to the plough ; 
and assuredly you shall reap, if you faint not, the fruit 
of your heavenly labour in God's everlasting king* 
dom. 

And you young convinced ones, be you intreated and 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 75 

exhorted to a diligent and chaste waiting upon God, in 
the way of his blessed manifestation and appearance of 
himself to you. Look not out, but within : let not 
another's liberty be your snare : neither act by imita- 
tion, bu^. sense and feeling of God's power in your- 
selves: crush not the tender buddings of it in your 
souls, nor over-run, in your desires and warmness of 
affections, the holy and gentle motions of it. Remem- 
ber it is a still voice that speaks to us in this day, and 
that it is not to be heard in the noises and hurries of the 
mind ; but it is distinctly understood ir> a retired frame. 
Jesus loved and chose solitudes ; often going to moun- 
tains, gardens, and sea-sides, to avoid crowds and hur- 
ries, to show his disciples it was good to be solitary, 
and sit loose to the world. Two enemies lie near your 
states, imagination and liberty; but the plain, practi- 
cal, living, holy truth, that has convinced you, will pre- 
serve you, if you mind it in yourselves, and bring all 
thoughts, inclinations, and affections, to the test of it, 
to see if they are wrought in God, or of the enemy, or 
your ownselves. So will a true taste, discerning and 
judgment be preserved to you, of what you should do 
and leave undone. And in your diligence and faithful- 
ness in this way you will come to inherit substance ; 
and Christ, the eternal wisdom, will fill your treasury. 
And w^hen you are converted, as well as convinced, 
then confirm your brethren ; and be ready to every good 
word and work, that the Lord shall call you to; that 
you may be to his praise, who has chosen you to be 
partakers, wdth the saints in light, of a kingdom that 
cannot be shaken, an inheritance incorruptible in 
eternal habitations. 



76 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

And now, as for jou, that are the children of God** 
people, a great concern is upon my spirit for your good 
and often are my knees bowed to the God of your 
fathers, for you, that you may come to be partakers of 
the same divine life and power, that have been the glor\ 
of this day; that a generation you may be to God, an 
holy nation, and a peculiar people, zealous of good 
works, when all our heads are laid in the dust. you 
young men and women ! let it not suffice you, that you 
are the children of the people of the Lord ; you must 
also be born again, if you will inherit the kingdom of 
God. Your fathers are but such after the flesh, and 
could but beget you into the likeness of the first Adam ; 
but you must be begotten into the likeness of the second 
Adam, by a spiritual generation, or you will not, you 
cannot be of his children or oflTspring. And therefore 
look carefully about you, ye children of the children 
of God! Consider your standing, and see what you 
are in relation to this divine kindred, family and birth. 
Have you obeyed the light, and received and walked 
in the Spirit, which is the incorruptible seed of the 
Word and kingdom of God, of which you must be 
born again ? God is no respecter of persons. The 
father cannot save or answer for the child, or the child 
for the father ; but in the sin thou sinnest thou shalt 
die ; and in the righteousness thou dost, through Christ 
Jesus, thou shalt live ; for it is the willing and obedient 
that shall eat the good of the land. Be not deceived, 
God is not mocked ; such as all nations and people 
sow, such they shall reap at the hand of the just God. 
And then your many and great privileges above the 
children of other people, will add weight in the soak 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 77 

against you, if you choose not the way of the Lord. 
For you have had line upon line, and precept upon 
pioccpt, and not only good doctrine, but good example ; 
and which is more, you have been turned to, and ac- 
quainted with, a principle in yourselves, which others 
have been ignorant of. And you know you may be as 
good as you please, without the fear of frowns and 
blows, or being turned out of doors and forsaken of 
father and mother for God's sake and his holy religion, 
as has been the case of some of your fathers, in the 
day they first entered into this holy path. And if you, 
after hearing and seeing the wonders that God has 
wrought in the deliverance and preservation of them, 
through a sea of troubles, and the manifold temporal, 
as well as spiritual blessings that he has filled them 
with, in the sight of their enemies, should neglect and 
turn your backs upon so great and near a salvation, 
you would not only be most ungrateful children to God 
and them, but must expect that God will call the chil- 
dren of those that knew^ him not, to take the crown out 
of your hands, and that your lot will be a dreadful 
judgment at the hand of the Lord. But Oh! that it 
may never be so wdth any of you. The Lord forbid, 
saith my soul. 

Wherefore, ye young men and women! look to 
the rock of your fathers. There is no other God but 
him, no other light but his, no other grace but his, nor 
spirit but his, to convince you, quicken and comfort 
you ; to lead, guide and preserve you to God's ever- 
lasting kingdom. So will you be possessors as well as 
professors of the truth, embracing it, not only by edu- 
cation, but judgment and conviction ; from a sense be- 
7* 



78 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

gotten in your souls, through the operation of the eternar 
Spirit and power of God ; by which you may come tc 
be the seed of Abraham, through faith, and the circum- 
cision not made with hands ; and so heirs of the pro- 
mise made to the fathers, of an incorruptible crown : 
that, as I said before, a generation you may be to God, 
holding up the profession of the blessed truth in the 
life and power of it. For formality in religion is nause- 
ous to God and good men ; and the more so, where any 
form or appearance has been new and peculiar, and 
begun and practised upon a principle, with an uncom- 
mon zeal and strictness. Therefore I say, for you to 
fall flat and formal, and continue the profession, with- 
out that salt and savour by which it is come to obtaii, 
a good report among men, is not to answer God's love^ 
or your parents' care, or the mind of truth in your- 
selves, or in those that are without: who, though they 
will not obey the truth, have sight and sense enough to 
see if they do that make a profession of it. For w^here 
the divine virtue of it is not felt in the soul, and waited 
for and lived in, imperfections will quickly break out, 
and show^ themselves, and detect the unfaithfulness of 
such persons, and that their insides are not seasoned 
with the nature of that holy principle which they pro- 
fess. 

Wherefore, dear children, let me intreat you to shut 
your eyes at the temptations and allurements of this 
low and perishing w^orld,^and not suffer your aflfections 
to be captivated by those lusts and vanities, that your 
fathers, for the truth's sake, long since turned their 
oacks upon ; but as you believe it to be the truth, re- 
ceive it into your hearts, that you may become the 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 79 

children of God ; so that it may never be said of you, 
as the Evangelist writes of the Jews in his time, that 
Christ, the true Light, '' came to his own, but his own 
received him not ; but to as many as received him, to 
them gave he powder to become the children of God ; 
which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the 
flesh, nor of the wall of man, but of God:" a most 
close and comprehensive passage to this occasion. You 
exactly and peculiarly answer to those professing Jews, 
in that you bear the name of God's people, by being 
the children, and wearing of the form of God's peo- 
ple. And He, by his Light in you, may be very well 
said to come to his own, and if you obey it not, but 
turn your backs upon it, and walk after the vanities of 
your minds, you wnll be of those that " received him 
not;" which I pray God may never be your case and 
judgment ; but that you may be thoroughly sensible of 
the many and great obligations you lie under to the 
Lord for his love, and to your parents for their care ; 
and with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your 
strength, turn to the Lord, to his gift and Spirit in you, 
and hear his voice and obey it, that you may seal to the 
testimony of your fathers, by the truth and evidence of 
your own experience ; that your children's children 
may bless you, and the Lord for you, as those that de- 
livered a faithful example, as w^ell as record of the truth 
of God unto them. So will the grey hairs of your dear 
parent??, yet alive, go down to the grave with joy, to 
see you the posterity of truth, as w^ell as theirs, and 
that not only their nature, but spirit shall live in you 
when they are gone. 

I shall conclude this account with a few words to 



80 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

those that are not of our communion, into whose nanda 
this may come ; especially those of our own nation. 

Friends, as you are the sons and daughters of Adam, 
and my brethren after the flesh, often and earnest have 
been my desires and prayers to God on your behalf, 
that you may come to know your Creator to be your 
Redeemer and Restorer to the holy image, that through 
sin you have lost, by the powder and Spirit of his Son 
Jesus Christ, whom he hath given for the light and life 
of the world. And Oh ! that you, who are called 
Christians, would receive him into your hearts ! For 
there it is you w^ant him, and at that door he stands 
knocking that you might let him in, but you do not 
open to him. You are full of other guests, so that a 
manger is his lot among you now, as well as of old. 
Yet you are full of profession, as w^ere the Jews w^hen 
he came among them, who knew^ him not, but rejected 
and evilly entreated him. So that if you come not to 
the possession and experience of what you profess, all 
your formality in religion will stand you in no stead in 
the day of God's judgment. 

I beseech you, ponder with yourselves your eternal 
condition, and see what title, w^hat ground and founda- 
tion you have for your Christianity ; if more than a pro- 
fession, and an historical belief of the Gospel. Have 
you known the baptism of fire, and the Holy Ghost, 
and the fan of Christ that winnows away the chaff* in 
your minds, and carnal lusts and affections ? — that 
divine leaven of the kingdom, that, being received, 
leavens the whole lump of man, sanctifying hira 
throughout in body soul, and spirit ? If this be not 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 81 

the ground of your confidence, you am in a miserable 
estate. 

You will say, perhaps, " That though you are sin- 
ners, and live in daily commission of sin, and are not 
sanctified," as I have been speaking, <« yet you have 
faith in Christ, who has borne the curse for you, and in 
him you are complete by faith, his righteousness being 
imputed to you." 

But, my Friends, let me entreat you not to deceive 
yourselves in so important a point as is that of your 
immortal souls. If you have true faith in Christ, your 
faith will make you clean : it will sanctify you ; for the 
saints' faith was their victory of old. By this they over- 
came sin within, and sinful men without. iVnd if thou 
art in Christ, thou walkest not after the flesh, but after 
the Spirit, whose fruits are manifest. Yea, thou art a 
new creature ; new made, new fashioned, after God's 
will and mould. Old things are done away, and be- 
hold, all things are become new; new love, desires, 
will, affections, and practices. It is not any longer 
thou that livest, thou disobedient, carnal, worldly one ; 
but it is Christ that liveth in thee ; and to live is Christ, 
and to die is thy eternal gain ; because thou art assured 
that thy corruptible shall put on incorruption, and thy 
mortal, immortality, and that thou hast a glorious house, 
eternal in the heavens, that will never wax old or pass 
away. All this follows being in Christ, as heat follows 
fire, and light the sun. 

Therefore have a care how you presume to rely upon 
such a notion, as that you are in Christ, whilst in your 
old fallen nature. For what communion hath ligh* 
with darkness, or Christ with Belial ? Hear what the 



82 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

beloved disciple tells you: ''If we say we have fellow 
ship with God, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do 
not the truth." That is, if we go on in a sinful way, 
are captivated by our carnal affections, and are not con- 
verted to God, we walk in darkness, and cannot possi- 
bly, in that state, have any fellowship with God. Christ 
clothes them with his righteousness, that receive his 
grace in their hearts, and deny themselves, and take up 
his cross daily, and follow him. Christ's righteousness 
makes men inwardly holy; of holy minds, wills, and 
practices. It is not the less Christ's, because we have 
it ; for it is ours, not by nature, but by faith and adop- 
tion. It is the gift of God. But still, though not ours, 
as of or from ourselves, (for in that sense it is Christ's, 
for it is of and from him,) yet it is ours, and must be 
ours in possession, efficacy and enjoyment, to do us any 
good ; or Christ's righteousness will profit us nothing. 
It was after this manner that he was made, to the pri- 
mitive Christians, righteousness, sanctification, justifica- 
tion and redemption ; and if ever you will have the 
comfort, kernel and marrow of the Christian religion, 
thus you must come to learn and obtain it. 

Now, my friends, by what you have read, you may 
perceive that God has visited a poor people among you 
with this saving knowledge and testimony : whom he 
has upheld and increased to this day, notwithstanding 
the fierce opposition they have met withal. Despise 
not the meanness of this appearance. It was, and yet 
is (we know) a day of small things, and of small ac- 
count with too many ; and many hard and ill names are 
given to it But it is of God, it came from him because 
it le?ds to him This we know, but we cannot make 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 83 

another to know it, unless he will take the same way to 
know It that we took. The World talks of God, bu< 
what do they do ? They pray for power, but reject the 
principle in which it is. If you would know God, and 
worship and serve God as you should do, you must 
come to the means he has ordained and given for that 
purpose. Some seek it in books, some in learned men ; 
but what they look for is in themselves, though not of 
themselves; but they overlook it. The voice is too 
still, the seed too small, and the light shineth in dark- 
ness. They are abroad, and so cannot divide the spoil. 
But the woman that lost her silver, found it at home, 
after she had lighted her candle and swept her house. 
Do you so too, and you shall find what Pilate wanted 
to know, viz. IVuth : truth in the inward parts, so val- 
uable in the sight of God. 

The light of Christ within, who is the light of the 
world, (and so a light to you, that tells you the truth 
of your condition,) leads all, that take heed unto it, out 
of darkness into God's marvellous light. For light 
grows upon the obedient; it is '^ sown for the right- 
eous," and their way is a shining light, that shines 
forth more and more to the perfect day. 

Wherefore, O friends, turn in, turn in, I beseech 
you. Where is the poison, there is the antidote : there 
you want Christ, and there you must find him ; and 
blessed be God, there you may find him. Seek and 
you shall find, I testify for God. But then you must 
seek aright, w^ith your whole heart, as men that seek 
for their lives, yea, for their eternal lives ; diligently, 
humbly, patiently, as those that can taste no pleasure, 



84 RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

comfort or satisfaction, in any thing else, unless you 
find him whom your souls desire to know and love 
above all. Oh i it is a travail, a spiritual travail, let the 
carnal, profane world, think and say as it will. And 
through this path you must walk to the city of God, 
that has eternal foundations, if ever you will come 
there. 

Well! and w^hat does this blessed light do for you? 
Why, first, it sets all your sins in order before you : it 
detects the spirit of this world in all its baits and allure- 
ments, and show^s how^ man came to fall from God, and 
the fallen estate he is in. Secondly, it begets a sense 
and sorrow, in such as believe in it, for this fearful 
lapse. You will then see Him distinctly whom you 
have pierced, and all the blows and wounds you have 
given him by your disobedience, and how you have 
made him to serve with your sins ; and you will weep 
and mourn for it, and your sorrow will be a godly sor- 
row. Thirdly, after this it will bring you to the holy 
watch', to take care that you do so no more, and that 
the enemy surprise you not aga'n. Then thoughts, as 
w^ell as words and works, will come to judgment; 
which is the way of holiness, in which the redeemed 
of the Lord do walk. Here you will come to love 
God above all, and your neighbours as yourselves. 
Nothing hurts, nothing harms, nothing makes afraid 
on this holy mountain. Now you come to be Christ's 
indeed ; for you are his in naturo and spirit, and not 
your own. And when you are ihus Christ's, then 
Christ is yours, and not before. And here communion 
with the Father, and with the Son you will know, and 



THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 85 

the efficacy of the blood of cleansing, even the blood 
of Jesus Christ, that immaculate Lamb, which speaks 
better things than the blood of Abel ; and which cleanseth 
from all sin the consciences of those that through the 
living faith, come to be sprinkled with it, from dead 
works, to serve the living God. 

To conclude, behold the testimony and doctrine of 
the people called Quakers ! Behold their practice and 
discipline ! And behold the blessed man and men (at 
least many of them) that were sent of God in this ex- 
cellent work and service ! All w^hich is more particu- 
larly expressed in the Annals of that man of God, 
which I do heartily recommend to my readers' most 
serious perusal ; and beseech Almighty God, that his 
blessing may go along with both, to the convincement 
of many, as yet strangers to this holy dispensation ; 
and also to the edification of God's church in general : 
who for his manifold and repeated mercies and bless- 
ings to his people in this day of his great love, is 
worthy ever to have the glory, honour, thanksgiving 
and renow^n ; and be it rendered and ascribed with 
fear and reverence, through him in whom he is well 
pleased, his beloved Son and Lamb, our light and life 
that sits wdth him upon the throne, world without 
end. Amen, 

Says one that God has long since mercifully favoured 
with his fatherly visitation, and who was not dis- 
obedient to the heavenly vision and call ; to whom 
the way of truth is more lovely and precious than 
ever, and who, knowing the beauty and benefit of 



86 RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 

it above all worldly treasures, has chosen it for hia 
chiefest joy ; and therefore recommends it to thy 
iove and choice, because he is with great sincerity 
and affection, 

Thy Soul's Friend, 

William Penn. 



nnnu 



A K E Y, 



OPENINO 

THE WAY TO EVERY CAPACIIT 

HOW TO DISTINGUISH 

THE RELIGION 

PROFESSED BY THE 

PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS, 

FROM THE 

PERVERSIONS AND MISREPRESENTATIONS 
OF THEIR ADVERSARIES. 

WITH 

k 8&IEF EXHORTATION TO ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE TO EXAMINK 

THEIR WAYS AND THEIR HEARTS, AND TURN 

SPEEDILY TO THE LORD. 



BY WILLIAM PENN. 



PHILADELPHIA. 
FOR SALE AT FRIENDS' BOOK-STORE 

No. 84, MULBERRY STREET. 



A KEY, &c. 

INTRODUCTION. 

Reader, 
Observing the prevailing power of prejudice, and 
the too great easiness of mankind to be imposed upon 
by designing persons, and especially on the side of 
incharitableness, so depraved is the nature of man, 
ana considering also what mischievous effects that evil 
hath produced among all sorts of people, to the hurt 
of civil as well as religious society, by the coldness, 
jealousy, uncharitableness and animosity, even to 
hatred and persecution, the very contraries of the true 
Christian religion, that have thereby abounded, we 
have the less wondered at the hard treatment which 
we, as a people, have suffered from other persuasions ; 
almost all of them having in their turn, some, I hope, 
ignorantly, others, I fear, wilfully, misrepresented our 
principles, misgiven our plain meanings, and called 
their own strained interpretations and downright per- 
versions, our faith and religion. Thus dressing us in 
the bear's skin, the credulous have been excited to look 
upon and treat us as heretics, seducers, blasphemers, 
and what not, while, blessed be God, our aim and bent 
have been the very power and work of religion upon 
our souls, that we might be God's workmanship through 
Christ Jesus, his blessed Son and heavenly agent ; 

(3) 



A KEY J ETC, 



taking this to be tlie very life and soul of true religion , 
the effect and fruit of the Divine nature, which makes 
us Christians indeed here, and fits us for glory here- 
after. And because we have chosen retirement, mode- 
ration and self-denial, which to be sure are the solids 
and inwards, the spirit and substance of religion, and 
have therefore sequestered ourselves from more out- 
ward and pompous communions, offence has been taken 
at us, and we have been disingenuously represented to 
the world. On which account I have published this 
little treatise, for the sake of others, as well as in our 
owm vindication, but theirs especially, that are under 
prejudices from vulgar abuses. I would entreat such 
to consider, that if it be an evil to judge rashly or un- 
truly of any single man, how much greater sin it is to 
condemn a whole people. And if the matter about 
which the judgment is made, renders it more or less 
evil, certainly to condemn the religion of a whole peo- 
ple in the lump, which comprehends their faith, w^or- 
ship and morals also, must be, if false or mistaken, as 
<5reat an injustice as can well be committed, and the 
Almighty will not hold them guiltless who have been 
BO uncharitable and injurious to their neighbours. This 
we have frequently lamented as our great unhappiness, 
above all that our enemies have been able argumenta- 
tively to urge against, us, that we are yet unknown of 
those that stick not to condemn us. But they must 
certainly be inexcusable w^ith just minds, who will 
take our belief at the hands of our enemies rather than 
at our own, who best ought to know what we believe. 
It will be the business of this little key to explain the 
pretended obscurity, and show the difference between 



A KEY, ETC. 



our principles and the vulgar account and apprehen- 
sions, and thereby open a way to so clear and plain an 
understanding of our true principles, distinguished 
from our enemies' perversions, that we hope, with God's 
blessing, all impartial inquirers will be satisfied of our 
holy and Christian profession. This we also earnestly 
desire for their good, that as we have been called of 
God, out of the evil of the world, to be a people to his 
praise, through his grace, so none may stumble or be 
offended at the truth we testify of; but seeing the ex- 
cellency of it, by the peace and purity it leads into, 
they may embrace it and walk in it ; which is the best 
way to end controversy and obtain the great and true 
end of religion, the salvation of the soul. 

Section I. Of the Light within^ what it iSy and the 
virtue and benefit of it to man. 

Perversion 1. The Quakers hold, That the natural 
light in the conscience of every man in the world, is 
sufficient to save all that follow it; and so they over- 
throw salvation by Christ. 

A mighty error indeed, if it were true. 

Principle. But it is at best a great mistake. For 
their belief and assertion is. That Christ, who is the 
Word that was with God, and was God, and is so for 
ever, hath enlightened every man that cometh into the 
world, with his own light, as ht is that true light, or 
such a light, as there is no other to be compared with 
him ; w^hich is the meaning of the emphasis true in the 
text, John i. 9. And that such as follow the reproofs, 
convictions and leadings of that light, with which he 
1* 



t> A KEY, ETC. 

enlightens the understandings and consciences ol men 
shall not walk in darkness, that is, in evil and igno« 
ranee of God, but shall have the light of life ; that is, 
be in a holy and living state or condition towards God ; 
a state of acceptance and salvation, which is from sin 
here, as well as from wrath hereafter, for w^hich end 
Christ was given of God. So that they assert the light 
of Christ, to be sufficient to save, that is, to convince 
of sin, lead out of it and quicken the soul in the ways 
of holiness, and not to be a natural light ; but as all 
men, born into the world, have a measure of Christ's 
light, so it may, in a sense, be said to be natural to all 
men, because all men who come into the world have 
it. This light is something else than the bare under- 
standing man hath as a rational creature ; since, as 
such, man cannot be a light to himself; but has only 
a capacity of seeing, by means of the light with w^iich 
Christ, the Word, enlighteneth him. For we can no 
more be a mental or intellectual light to ourselves, than 
we are an external and corporeal light to ourselves. 
But as the sun in the firmament is the light of our 
bodies, so the light of the Divine Word is the sun of 
our souls; the glorious luminary of the intellectual 
world, and they that walk in it, will by it be led to 
blessedness. 

Pervers, 2. The Quakers hold, That the light within 
them is God, Christ and the holy Spirit ; so that every 
Quaker has whole God, Christ and holy Spirit in him 
which is gross blasphemy. 

Princ. This is also a mistake of their belief. The) 
never said that every Divine illumination or manifesta- 
tion of Christ, in the hearts of men, was whole God, 



A KEY, ETC 



Christ or the Spirit, which might render them guilty of 
that gross and blasphemous absurdity some would 
fasten upon them. But that God, who is light, or the 
Word Christ, w^ho is light, styled the second Adam, 
the Lord from heaven, and the quickening Spirit, who 
is God over all, blessed for ever, hath enlightened man- 
kind with a measure of saving light; who said, I am 
the Light of the world, and they that follow me, shall 
not abide in darkness, but have the light of life. So 
that the illumination is from God, or Christ, the Divine 
Word ; but not therefore that w^hole God or Christ is 
in every man, any more than the whole sun or air is in 
every house or chamber. There are no such harsh and 
unscriptural w^ords in their WTitings. It is only a fright- 
ful perversion by some of their enemies, to bring an 
odium upon their holy faith. 

Yet in a sense the Scriptures say it, and that is their 
sense, in which only, they say the same thing. I will 
walk in them and dw^ell in them. He that dwelleth 
with you, shall be in you : I will not leave you com- 
fortless, I will come to you : I in them and they in me : 
Christ in us, the hope of glory. Unless Christ be in 
you, ye are reprobates. Little children, of whom I 
travail again in birth, until Christ be formed in you. 
Now if they who denied his coming in the flesh, though 
highly professing Jews, were to be accounted anti- 
christs, because enemies to that appearance and dis- 
pensation of God to men ; what must they be reputed, 
who as stiffly disown his inward, nearer and more 
spiritual coming, formation and dominion in the soul; 
which is, to be sure, the higher and nobler knowledge 
of Christ.'^ Yea, the mystery hid from ages and now 



'5 A KEY, ETC. 

revealed to God's people; the riches of the glory ol 
the mystery which God reserved to be made known tc 
the Gentiles, of whose stock we are. Certainly, though 
they are called Christians, they must be no whit less 
anti-christs than those obstinate Jews of old, who 
opposed his more visible and bodily appearance. 

Pervers. 3. By the Quakers' doctrine, every man 
must be saved ; for every man, they say, is savingly 
enlightened. 

Princ, Not so either: for though the light or grace 
of God hath and doth more or less appear to all men, 
and brings salvation to as many as are taught by it to 
deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, 
and righteously, and godly in this present world, as the 
Scripture teacheth ; yet it no way follows that men 
must obey and learn so to do, whether they will or not- 
God tenders saving light or grace to all, and by it calls 
all, and strives and pleads with all, according to the 
measure and manifestation of it ; but if they will not 
hearken to it, he is clear of their blood. His light is 
saving that lighteth them, but it cannot be said to save 
them, while they rebel against it. In short, though 
men are enlightened or visited with a saving light or 
grace, yet the Quakers never concluded, nor can it 
rightly be concluded from their testimony, that such 
men must necessarily and absolutely be saved, whether 
they obey or rebel. 

Pervers, 4. By the Quakers' Light or Spirit, they 
may be moved to murder, treason, theft, or any such 
like wickedness, because they say that such as are so 
led, have the light within them. 

PHnc. This never was their doctrine, nor is it con- 



A KEY, ETC. 9 

sequent of it. For though they hold that all have lii^ht. 
they never said that all obeyed it, or that evii men, as 
such J or in such things, were led by it. Much less 
could the light be chargeable with the sins of those 
who refused to be led by it. For herein they know the 
spirit of God and the motions of it, from the spirit of 
this world and its fruits, that the spirit of God con- 
demns all ungodliness, and moves and inclines to 
purity, mercy, and righteousness, which are of God. 

They deny and abominate that loose and ranting 
mind, which would charge the spirit of God with their 
unholy liberty. God's spirit makes people free from 
sin, and not to commit sin. Neither do they dis- 
tinguish, as such loose people wickedly do, between 
the act and the evil of it. Wherefore they say, that as 
the tree is known and denominated by its fruits, so 
spirits are by their influences, motions, and inclinations; 
and the spirit of God never did incline any one to evil. 
For that cause they renounce this construction of the 
Ranters, that evil is no evil when they are led to it by 
God's spirit ; for that grossly implies, as if the spirit of 
God led man at any time to that which is evil in itself, 
or that it were possible to be sinless in the commission 
of sin, as murder, theft, revenge, &c. For that never 
w^as or can be the way and method of God's spirit^ 
which is pure and holy for ever ; and brings all who 
regard the convictions and motions of it, into a sense 
and sorrow for sin, and so leads them into a state of 
reformation, w^ithout which, all profession of religion 
is mere formality, and hypocrisy. So that man's sin 
and destruction are of himself, but his help is in God 
alone, th/ough Jesus Christ, our blessed sacrifice and 
sanctifier. 



10 A KEY, ETC, 



ISection II. Of Infallibility and Perfection. 

Pervers, 5. The Quakers must all be infallible and 
perfect, if they have such an infallible Light in them. 

Princ. No such matter: this is also a great abuse 
of their true meaning. They say, the spirit of Truth 
is pure, perfect, unerrable in itself, or else it were very 
unfit to lead men out of error and impurity. But they 
never did assert themselves such, merely because it 
was within them : by no means. But that all who are 
led by it, and live according to its manifestation, are 
so far perfect, and so far infallible in the right way, as 
they are led by it, and not a jot farther. For it is not 
opinion, or speculation, or notions of what is true ; oi 
assent to, or the subscription of articles, or proposi- 
tions, though never so soundly worded, which, accord- 
ing to their sense, makes a man a true believer, or a 
true Christian. But it is a conformity of mind and 
practice to the will of God, in all holiness of conversa- 
tion, according to the dictates of this holy Spirit of 
light and life in the soul, which denotes a person truly 
a child of God. For the children of God are led by 
the spirit of God, but if any man have not the spirit of 
Christ, he is none of his. And let it be noted, that 
though this spirit be in man, yet it is not of man, but 
of God, through Jesus Christ. Who can lay down a 
more independent doctrine upon self, and a more de- 
pending one upon the grace or gift of God ? Let us 
not, I pray, be mistaken, nor suffer for such misappre- 
hensions, nor be made to hold what we do not, on pur- 
pose to disrepute us with sober people, or to suppor* 



A KEV, ETC. 11 

the mistaken charges of our enemies. Yet to show that 
a state of perfection from sin (though not in fulness of 
wisdom and glory) is attainable in this life, they, among 
others^» refer to these Scriptures, which for brevity's 
sake, are not set down at large, but the reader is de- 
sired to turn to them : 

Gen. xvii. 1. Deut. xviii. 13. Job i. 1 — 8; ii., 
iii., &c. ; viii. 20. Psal. xviii. 32 ; xxxvii. 37; cxix. 
1. Prov. ii. 21. Matt. v. 48. Luke vi. 40. 1 Cor. 
ii. 6. 2 Cor. xiii. 9—11. Eph. iv. 13. 1 Thes. iii. 
10. 2 Tim. iii. 17. Jam. i. 4. 1 Pet. 5—10. Heb. 
vi. 1. 1 John i. 6, 7, 8, 9; ii. 20—27; iii. 5, 6, 7, 
8 ; iv. 17. 

Section III. Of the Scnptures^ their truth, authority , 

and service. 

Pervers. 6. The Quakers deny the Scriptures, for 
they deny them to be the Word of God. 

Princ. They own and style the Scriptures, as they 
own and style themselves ; viz., a declaration of those 
things most truly believed, given forth in former ages, 
by the inspiration of the holy Spirit ; consequently that 
they are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc- 
tion, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of 
God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good 
works. They are the form of sound words. We pro- 
fess to believe them, and read them; and say it is the 
work we have to do in this world, and the earnest 
desire of our souls to Almighty God, that we may feel 
and witness the fulfilling of them in and upon our- 
selves; that so God's will may be done in earth, as it 



12 A KEY, ETC. 

is in heaven. But to call them the Word of God, th# 
ground of the charge, which they never call themselves, 
but by which they peculiarly denominate and call 
Christ; in reverence to Christ, and in no slight to them 
(which we believe to be of Divine authority, and em- 
brace as the best of books, and allow to be as much 
the word of God, as a book can be), they do, as in 
duty and reason bound, attribute that title to Christ 
only. 

And yet as the word of God may, in some sense, 
signify the command of God, referring to the thing or 
matter commanded, as the mind of God, it may be 
called the word of the Lord, or w^ord of God : as, on 
particular occasions, the prophets had the word of the 
Lord to persons and places ; that is to say, the mind 
or will of God, or that which was commanded them of 
the Lord to declare or do. So Christ uses it, when he 
tells the Pharisees, that they had made the word (or 
command) of God of none effect, by their traditions. 
But because people are so apt to think, if they have 
the Scriptures they have all (for that they account them 
the only word of God, and so look no farther ; that is, 
to no other Word, from whence those good w^ords 
came), therefore this people have been constrained, and 
they believe, by God's good spirit, once and again to 
point them to the great Word of w^ords, Christ Jesus, 
in w^hom is life, and that life the light of men ; that 
they might feel something nearer to them than the 
Scriptures, to wit, the W^ord in the heart, from whence 
all holy Scripture came, which is Christ within them, 
the hope of their glory. And to be sure he /s the only 
right expounder as w^ell as the author of kolj Scripture, 



A KEY, ETC, ' l3 

without whose light, spirit, or grace, they canm t be 
savingly read by those that read them. 

Pervers. 7. They deny them to be any means whereby 
to resist temptation. 

Princ, This is a very uncharitable aspersion. True 
it is, that they deny the Scriptures merely, or of them- 
selves, to be sufficient to resist temptations ; for then 
all that have them and read them, would be sure to be 
preserved by them against temptations. But that they 
should deny them to be any means or instrument in 
God's hand, is either great ignorance or injustice in 
their adversaries. God hath made use of the Scrip- 
tures, and daily doth and will make use of them, for 
instruction, reproof, comfort, and edification, through 
the Spirit, to those that read them as they ought to do. 
Thus they say they have felt them, and so they have 
been and are made unto them, through the good Spirit 
of God, coming in upon their spirits, in the reading 
and considering of them; and wish heartily they were 
more in request with the professors of Christianity. 

Section IV. Of the holy Spirit of God^ and its officey 
with respect to man^ and of ministry^ 8fc, 

Pervers, 8. The Quakers assert the Spirit of God to 
be the immediate teacher, and that there is no other 
means now to be used, as ministry, ordinances, &c. 

Princ. They never spoke such language, and their 
daily practice confutes the reflection. But here n we 
perceive the great subtilty of satan, as well as in other 
things, to darken the appearance of the Truth, and 
prepossess people's minds against it. For since he 
2 



14 A KEVj ETC. 

cannot hinder the exaltation of the Spirit above al 
visible instruments, nor the necessity of its manifesta- 
tions, (convictions, motions, and operations, to be known 
in the hearts of men, and the great suitableness thereof 
to the Gospel administration, he would spoil all by 
overdoing the matter, and carrying our assertions 
beyond bounds. They never denied the use of means, 
but to this day, from the beginning, they have been in 
the practice of them. But then they are such means 
as are used in the life and power of God, and not in 
and from man's mere wit, will, or carnal invention or 
imitation ; the only thing they strike at. For instance, 
they cannot ow^n that to be a Gospel ministry, that is 
without a Gospel Spirit, or that such can be sent of 
God who are not taught of God, or that they are fit to 
teach others what regeneration and the way to heaven 
are, w^ho have never been born again themselves ; or 
that such can bring souls to God, who are themselves 
strangers (like those in the Acts xix. 21) to the bap- 
tism of fire and the Holy Ghost ; never having been 
circumcised with the circumcision of the heart in the 
Spirit, Rom. ii. 29 : which is so absolutely necessary 
to make a true Jew, or a real Christian, and conse- 
quently the requisite qualification of a Gospel ministry. 

This unexperienced and lifeless ministry, is the only 
ministry, and such the only ministers, that the people 
called Quakers cannot own and receive, and therefore 
cannot maintain. For the ministry and the ministers 
that are according to Scripture, they both own. respect, 
and delight in, and ^re ready to assist and support in 
their service for God. 

It is strange, because they deny all false means, oi 



A KEYj ETC. IS 

means not sanctified, or used in the openings and lead- 
ings of God's power and Spirit, that therefore they 
must deny all means, however rightly used or em- 
ployed. This is an injustice to their profession and 
practice. Wherefore all are desired to take notice, that 
evangelical means and order they love and desire to 
keep : for they diligently assemble themselves together 
to wait upon God, to enable them to worship him ; 
where they both pray and prophesy, one by one, as 
prepared and moved in their hearts by his Spirit, and 
as any thing is revealed to them, according to primitive 
practice ; otherwise they are silent before the Lord. 
Nor are they without spiritual songs, making melody in 
their hearts to God their Redeemer, by the same Holy 
Ghost, as often as they are comforted and moved by it, 
as was the primitive practice. 

Section V. Of the Holy Threey or Scripture Trinity. 

Pervers. 9. The Quakers deny the Trinity. 

Princ, Nothing less : they believe in the holy three, 
or Trinity of Father, Word, and Spirit, according to 
Scripture. And that these three are truly and properly 
one ; of one nature as well as will. But they are very 
tender of quitting Scripture terms and phrases, for 
schoolmen's, such as distinct and separate persons and 
subsistences, &c., are ; from whence people are apt to 
entertain gross ideas and notions of the Father, Son, 
and Holy Ghost. And they judge, that a curious in- 
quiry into those high and Divine revelations, or into 
speculative subjects, though never so great truths in 
themselves, tend little to godliness, and less to peace 



16 A KEY, ETC. 

which should be the chief aim of true Christiana 
Therefore they cannot gratify that curiosity in them* 
selves, or others: speculative truths are, in their judg- 
ment, to be sparingly and tenderly declared, and never 
to be made the measure and condition of Christian 
communion. For besides that Christ Jesus hath taught 
them other things, the sad consequence, in all times, of 
superfining upon Scripture texts, do sufficiently caution 
and forbid them. Men are too apt to let their heads 
outrun their hearts, and their notion exceed their obedi- 
ence, and their passion support their conceits ; instead 
of a daily cross, a constant watch, and an holy prac- 
tice. The despised Quakers desire this may be their 
care, and the text their creed in this, as in all other 
points; preferring self-denial to opinion, and charity 
to knowledge, according to that great Christian doc- 
trine, 1 Cor. xiii. 

Section VI. Of the Divinity of Christ. 

Pervers. 10. The Quakers deny Christ to be God» 
Princ, A most untrue and unreasonable censure : for 
their great and characteristic principle being this, that 
Christ, as the Divine Word, lighteth the souls of all 
men that come into the world, with a spiritual and 
saving light, according to John i. 9 ; viii. 12 ; which 
nothing but the Creator of souls can do, it sufficientl} 
shows that they believe him to oe God, for they trulj 
and expressly own him to be so, according to Scrip* 
ture; viz.. In him was Life, and that Life the light of 
men ; and he is God over all, blessed for ever. 



A KKV, ETC. n 

Section VII. Of the Manhood of Christ. 

Pervers, 11. The Quakers deny the human nature 
df Christ. 

Princ. We never taught, said, or held so gross a 
thing, if by human nature be understood the manhood-* 
of Christ Jesus. For as we believe him to be God 
over all, blessed for ever, so we do as truly believe him 
to be of the seed of Abraham and David after the flesh, 
and therefore truly and properly man, like us in all 
things, and once subject to all things for our sakes, sin 
only excepted. 

Section VIII. Of Christ Jesus , his Death and Suf 

ferings. 

Pervers, 12. The Quakers expect to be justified and 
saved by the Light within them, and not by the death 
and sufferings of Christ. 

Prlnc, This is both unfairly and untruly stated and 
charged upon us. But the various senses of the word 
justification, oblige me here to distinguish the use of 
it ; for in the natural and proper sense, it plainly im- 
plies, making men just, who were unjust; godly, that 
were ungodly ; upright, that were depraved ; as the 
Apostle expresseth himself, 1 Cor. vi. 11. "And such 
were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanc- 
tified, but ye are justified in the name of our Lord 
Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." In the other use 
of the word, which some call a law-sense, it refers to 
Christ, as a sacrifice and propitiation for sin, as in Rom. 
2* 



18 A KEY, ETC. 

V. 9. "Much more then, being now justified by his 
blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him :" and 
1 John ii. 1,2. "If any man sin, we have an advocate 
with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous ; and he is 
the propitiation for our sins ; and not for ours only, but 
also for the sins of the whole world." Which, though 
a great truth and most firmly believed by us, yet no 
man can be entitled to the benefit thereof, but as he 
comes to believe and repent of the evil of his ways ; 
and then it may be truly said, that God justifieth even 
the ungodly, and looks upon them through Christ, as 
if they had never sinned ; because their sins are for- 
given them for his beloved Son's sake. 

Not that God looks on people to be in Christ, who 
are not in Christ ; that is, who are not in the faith, 
obedience and self-denial of Christ ; nor sanctified, nor 
led by his Spirit, but rebel against it ; and instead of 
dying to sin, through a true and unfeigned repentance, 
live and indulge themselves daily in it; for they that 
are in Christ, become new creatures ; old things are 
passed away, and all things, with them, become new. 
Wherefore we say, that whatever Christ then did, both 
living and dying, was of great benefit to the salvation 
of all who have believed, and now do, and who here- 
after shall believe in him unto justification and accep- 
tance with God ; but the way to come to that faith, is 
to receive and obey the manifestation of his Divine 
light and grace in their consciences, which leads men 
to believe and value, and not to disown or undervalue 
Christ, as the common sacrifice and mediator. For we 
do affirm, that to follow this holy Light in the con- 
science, and to turn our minds, ind bring all our deeds 



A KEY, ETC. 19 

and thoughts to it, is the readiest, nay, the only right 
way to have true living and sanctifying faith in Christ, 
as he appeared in the flesh, and to discern the Lord's 
body, coming and sufferings aright, and to receive any 
real benefit by him, as their only sacrifice and media- 
tor: according to the beloved disciple's emphatical 
passages, "If -we walk in the light, as (God) is in the 
light, we have fellowship one with another, and the 
blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 
And because this people say, that Christ's outward 
coming and sufferings profit not to their salvation who 
live in sin and rebel against this Divine light, some 
have untruly and uncharitably concluded, that they 
deny the virtue and benefit of Christ's coming and suf- 
ferings in the flesh, as a sacrifice for sin. Whereas we 
only deny and oppose a false and dangerous application 
of them in and to a disobedient state. For we believe 
Christ came not to save men in their sins, but from 
their sins ; and that those that open the door of their 
hearts at his inward and spiritual knocks [to wit, the 
reproofs and convictions of his light and grace], have 
their consciences sprinkled with his blood (that is, dis- 
charged from the guilt of them) from dead works, to 
serve the living God. And so far only as men come 
by faith, repentance and amendment, to be Christ's, 
Christ is theirs, and as he has an interest in their hearts, 
they have an interest in his love and salvation : that is, 
so far as they are obedient to his grace, and take up 
his cross, and follow him in the ways of meekness, 
holiness, and self-denial, so far they have an interest in 
Christ, and no farther. And here there is no condem- 
nation to them that are in Christ Jesus, because such 



20 A KEY, ETC. 

walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirii: fc; we 
have seen a shoal or sand here, upon which we fear 
many thousands have split, and which we desire to 
avoid, and are earnest that others may beware of it 
also; viz., that because Christ died a sacrifice for the 
sins of the whole world, by which he put mankind into 
a capacity of salvation, and has given every one a talent 
of grace to work it out by ; they presume upon that 
sacrifice, and sin on, without a thorough repentance, 
reformation and conversion to God, not dying with 
Christ to the world, but living in it, according to the 
lusts and spirit of it. Such as these may be assured, 
that where Christ is gone they shall never come : for 
says the blessed Apostle, God sent his Son to bless us, 
by turning every one of us from the evil of our way. 
So that the contrite, humble, meek, and self-denying 
people, are those that have the true and full benefit of 
Christ's coming, suflTerings, and mediation, and of all 
those holy ends for which God his Father anointed and 
gave Him to the world ; viz., to be the Way, Truth, 
and Life, Light, Leader, and Saviour, to be a King, 
Priest, Prophet, Sacrifice, Sanctifier, and Mediator ; 
being sensibly felt of all such to reign over their hearts, 
to teach them God's royal law, to give them, saving 
knowledge, and to mediate, atone for, sanctify and 
justify them in the sight of God his Father, for ever. 

By all which it is evident to any moderate inquirer, 
that w^e acknowledge Christ in his double appearance ; 
as in the flesh, of the seed of Abraham, so in the Spirit, 
as he is God over all, blessed for ever. Wherein is a 
full confession to him, both as a blessed person, and as 
^ Divine Spirit of light and life in the soul ; the want 



A KEY, ETC. 21 

of ;which necessary and evident distinction occasions 
our adversaries frequent mistakes about our belief and 
application of the Scriptures of Truth concerning Christ, 
in that two-fold capacity. 

For it is not another than that eternal Word, Light, 
Power, Wisdom, and Righteousness, which then took 
flesh, and appeared in that holy Body, by whom they 
have received, or can receive, any true spiritual benefit. 
They holding, that Light is only from him, forgiveness 
only through him, and sanctification only by him. So 
that their ascribing salvation from sin and death eternal 
to him, who now appears by his holy Spirit to their 
souls, as before expressed, cannot render him no Sa- 
viour in that age, or make void the end and benefit of 
his blessed appearance in the flesh on earth, or his 
mediation now in glory, for those that believe in him 
in this age. Whose doctrine pierced, whose life 
preached, whose miracles astonished, whose blood 
atoned, and whose death, resurrection, and ascension, 
confirmed that blessed manifestation to be no less than 
the Word God (the life and light of men) manifested 
in the flesh, according to the Apostle Paul, for the sal- 
vation of the world : and therefore properly and truly 
He was the Son of Man on earth, and is now as truly 
the Son of Man in glory, as the head of our manhood, 
which shall also be glorified, if we now receive him 
into our hearts, as the true Light, that leads in the 
way of life eternal, and continue in well-doing to the 
end. 



82 A KFY, ETC. 



Section IX. Of Good Works. 

Pervers. 13 Thus it is the Quakers set up woiks. 
and meriting by works, like the papists ; whe^'eby jus- 
tification bv faith in Christ is laid aside. 

Princ. By no means ; but they say with the Apostle 
James, ch. ii., that true faith in Christ cannot be with- 
out works, any more than a body can live without a 
spirit; and that w^here there is life, there is motion, and 
where there is no Divine life and motion, there can be 
no true faith ; believing being a fruit of Divine life. 
Nay, by the comparison, if they were separable, works 
being compared to the Spirit, they would have the 
better. The very believing is an act of the mind, con- 
curring with God's working in or upon the mind, and 
therefore a godly work. And no sooner is true faith 
begotten in a soul, but it falls to working ; which is 
both the nature, and in some respects, the end of it. 

Nor yet do w^e say, that our very best works, pro- 
ceeding from the true faith itself, can. merit; no, nor 
faith joined with them, because eternal life is the gift 
of God. All that man is capable of believing or per- 
forming can never properly be said to merit everlasting 
blessedness, because there can be no proportion (as 
there must be in case of merit) between the best works 
that can be performed in the life of man, and an eternal 
felicity. Wherefore all that man can do, even with the 
assistance of the holy Spirit, can never be said strictly 
to merit, as a debt due to the creature. But on the 
other hand, that right faith, and good works, which 
irise out of it, or will follow it, may and do obtain the 



A KEY, ETC, 23 

blessed immortality, which it pleaseth Almighty God 
to give, and to privilege the sons of men with, who 
perform that necessary condition, is a Gospel and neces- 
sary truth. And this the Quakers ground upon, and 
therefore boldly affirm to the world. 

So that they deny all merit from the best of works, 
especially by such as some papists may conceive to be 
meritorious. But as they, on the one hand, deny the 
meritoriousness of works, so on the other hand, neither 
can they join with that lazy faith which works not out 
the salvation of the soul with fear and trembling. Pray 
let not good works make men papists, because they 
make men Christians. I am sure believing and not 
working, and imagining a salvation from wrath, where 
there is no salvation or cleansing from sin, which is the 
cause of it, is no whit less unscriptural, and abundantly 
more pernicious to the soul. Blessed is he that hears 
Christ's words and does them. The doer is only ac- 
cepted. Wherefore it shall be said at the last day, not 
well professed, but w^ell done good and faithful servant, 
enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Thou holy, hum- 
ble, patient and meek liver ; thou that lovedst me above 
all, and thy neighbour as thyself; enter thou. For thee 
and such as thou art, was it prepared from the founda- 
tion of the world. Which recompense of his faithful- 
ness, is the infinite love of God, revealed and given to 
man, through Christ. For though death be the wages 
of sin, yet the gift of God is eternal life to such. So 
that as the people called Quakers do not hold that their 
good works merit, neither believe they that their good 
works justify them : for though none are justified that 
are not in measure sanctified, yet all that man does, is 



24 A KEY, ETC. 

dwty, and therefore cannot blot out old scores: foi that 
is mere grace and favour, upon repentance, through 
Christ the sacrifice and mediator, our great scape- 
goat. So that men are not justified, because they are 
sanctified, but for his sake that sanctifies them, and 
works all their good works in them and for them, and 
presents them blameless, to wdt, Christ Jesus, who is 
made unto them, as he was to the saints of old, wis- 
dom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; 
that he that glorieth, might glory in the Lord. 

Section X. Of Water- Baptism and the Supper. 

Pervers, 14. The Quakers deny the two great sacra- 
ments or ordinances of the Gospel, baptism and the 
supper. 

Piinc, Whatever is truly and properly a Gospel 
ordinance, they desire to own and practise ; but they 
observe no such language in the Scripture as in the 
reflection. They do confess the practice of John's 
baptism and the supper is to be found there ; but prac- 
tice only, is no institution, nor a sufficient reason of 
continuation. That they were then proper, they be- 
lieve, it being a time of great infancy, and when the 
mysteries of truth lay yet couched and folded up in 
figures and shadows, as is acknowledged by Protes- 
tants. But it is their belief, that no figures or signs are 
perpetual, or of institution, under the Gospel adminis- 
tration, when Christ, who is the substance of them, is 
come : though their use might have been indulged to 
young converts in primitive times, because of the con- 
descension of former practices. 



A KEY, ETC. 26 

It were to overthrow the whole Gospel dispensation, 
and to make the coming of Christ of none eff'ect, to 
render signs and figures of the nature of the Gospel, 
which is inw^ard and spiritual. If it be said, but they 
were used after the coming of Christ, and his ascension 
too ; they answer, so were many Jewish ceremonies, 
not easily abolished, as circumcision, &c. It is suf- 
ficient to them, that water baptism w^as John's, and not 
Christ's, see Matt. iii. 11 ; Acts i. 5 ; that Jesus never 
used it, John iv. 2; that it was no part of Paul's com- 
mission, which if it were evangelical, and of duration, 
it certainly w^ould have been, 1 Cor. iv. 15, 16, 17; 
that there is but one baptism, as well as one faith, and 
one Lord, Eph. v. 4 ; and that baptism ought to be of 
the same nature with the kino^dom of w^hich it is an 
ordinance, and that is spiritual. The same holds also 
as to the supper, both alluding to old Jewish practices, 
and used as a signification of a near and accomplish- 
ing work; viz., the substance they represented. 

If any say, but Christ commanded that one of them 
should continue in remembrance of him ; which the 
Apostle to the church of Corinth explains thus ; that 
thereby they do show forth the Lord's death till he 
comes ; w^e allege, that he that said so, told his dis- 
ciples also, that he w^ould come to them again ; that 
some should not taste death till they saw him coming 
in the kingdom ; and that he that dw^elleth with, them, 
should be in them ; and that he w^ould drink no more 
of this fruit of the vine, till he should drmk it new with 
them in the kingdom of God. Which is the new wine 
that was to be put into the new bottles, and is the wine 
of the kingdom ; as he expresseth it in the same place 
3 



26 A KEY, ETC. 

which kingdom is within, as may be read in Luke. He 
was the heavenly Bread that they had not yet known, 
nor his flesh and blood, as they were to know them ; as 
may be seen, John vi. So that though Christ came to 
end all signs, yet, till he w'as known to be the Sub- 
stance to the soul, as the great Bread of life from 
heaven, signs had their service with them, to show 
forth, and hold in hand, and in remembrance of Christ: 
especially to the people of that day, w^hose religion 
was attended with a multitude of the like types, 
shadows, and signs, of the one good thing, and sub- 
stance of all, Christ manifested in his people. And 
that great Apostle Paul says expressly of the Jewish 
observations, that they w^ere shadow^s of the good things 
to come, but the substance was of Christ. Hence it 
is, that the people called Quakers cannot be said to 
deny them ; that is too hard a word ; but they, truly 
feeling in themselves the very thing which outward 
water, bread and wane do signify, or point forth [to say 
nothing here of their abuse, and w^hat in that case may 
be argued, from the instance of Hezekiah's taking away 
the brazen serpent by God's command], they leave 
them off, as fulfilled in Christ, who is in them the hope 
of their glory : and henceforth they have but one Lord, 
one faith, one baptism, one bread, and one ci\p of 
blessings; and that is the new wdne of the kingdcm of 
God, which is within. 



A KEY, KTC. 27 

Section XI. Of the ResurrecUoriy and Everlasting 

Recompense. 

Pervers. 15. They acknowledge no resurrection of 
the dead, nor rewards to come. 

Princ. In this also we are greatly abused. We 
deny not, but believe the resurrection according to the 
Scripture, not only from sin, but also from death and 
the grave ; but are conscientiously cautious in express- 
ing the manner of the resurrection intended in the 
charge, because it is left a secret by the holy Ghost in 
the Scripture. Should people be angry with us for not 
expressing or asserting what is hidden, and which is 
more curious than necessary to be known, and in 
which the objectors themselves cannot be positive .f* 
Thou fool, is to the curious inquirer, as says the 
Apostle : which makes the Quakers contented with that 
body, which God shall please to give them hereafter: 
being assured that their corruptible shall put on incor- 
ruption, and their mortal shall put on immortality, but 
in such a manner as pleaseth God. And in the mean 
time they esteem it their duty, as well as wisdom, to 
acquiesce in his holy will. It is enough they believe 
a resurrection, and that with a glorious and incorrup- 
tible body, without farther niceties: for to that was the 
ancient hope. 

Now as to future rewards, they not only believe 
them, but as the Apostle says of ol 1, above all people, 
have the greatest reason so to do : for otherwise, who 
is so miserable ? Do they inherit the reproach and 
suffering of all that have separated from time to time 



28 A KEY, ETC. 

from national churches ; that is to say, are the outcries 
that have been against the Protestants by the Papists, 
and those of the Church of England against the Puri- 
tans, Brownists, and Separatists, fallen so thick upon 
them, and shall they hold principles inconsistent with 
an everlasting recompense of reward? By no means. 
It is their faith, their hope, their interest, and what they 
wait and have suffered for, and press, as an encourage- 
ment to faithfulness, upon one another : and the con- 
trary therefore must be both an unjust and an im- 
probable suggestion of their adversaries. 

Section XII. Of Civil Honour and Respect 

Pervers. 16. The Quakers deny all civil honour 
and respect, but what is relative or equal between 
men. 

Princ, We honour all men in the Lord, but not in 
the spirit and fashion of this world that passeth away. 
And though we do not pull off our hats, or make 
courtesyings, or give flattering titles, or use compli- 
ments, because we believe there is no true honour, but 
flattery and sin, in the using of them ; yet we treat all 
men wdth seriousness and gentleness, though it be with 
plainness, and our superiors with a modest and respect- 
ful distance ; and are ready to do them any reasonable 
benefit or service, in which we think real honour con- 
sisteth. Whereas those that thus reproach us, are often 
proud, peevish, snappish, abusive, and oppressive, one 
to another ; though at the same time they can give one 
another the cap and knee, with smooth w^ords, which 
*oo generally they never mean : w^hich is far from true 



A KEY, ETC. 29 

civility, or tionouring all men in the sense that they are 
exhorted to by the Apostle. 

As for expressing our respect to our superiors in all 
countries, we think it best done by obeying just lawh 
under their government, according to the saying of the 
centurion unto Christ, and which Christ so much ap- 
proved of; viz., when he said to one, come, and he 
came ; to another, go, and he went ; to a third, do 
this, and he did it. Reasonable commands, and ready 
obedience. This is honouring government and go- 
vernors, and not empty titles, and servile and fantastic 
gestures, and drinking of their healths till they drink 
away their own ; the vain and evil customs of the 
world, taken from the heathens' practices, and adopted 
by loose Christians in their conversation, and so be- 
come the fashion of the times. If to dissent from these 
things, be to be vile, we are contented to be accounted 
more vile, having Christ's commands, primitive exam- 
ple, and our own convictions on our side. 

Section XIII. Of Civil Government, 

Pervers, 17. The Quakers are enemies to all govern- 
ment. First, in that every one acteth according to his 
own conceit. Secondly, because they will not support 
civil government. Thirdly, because they refuse to give 
evidence upon oath, as the law requires. 

Princ. That this is a calumny, their lives and con- 
versations sufficiently show : for no people give the 
magistrates less trouble, or cause the burden to sit 
.ighter upon their shoulders, than these people do. 
Ard for their principle, they believe magistracy to bu 
3* 



30 A KKY, ETC. 

an ordinance of God, and that he that ruleth A\'ell, is 
worthy of double honour, and deserves to be much 
valued and esteemed : as such certainly do, who are a 
terror to evil doers, and a praise to tliem that do well. 
And farther, to show that they are a people that love 
order and good government, they carefully practise it 
among themselves : for if there be tw^enty meetings for 
worship in a county, they, peradventure, make three or 
four Monthly Meetings of business, and these monthly 
meetings are resolved into a Quarterly Meeting for the 
county, by such members as they severally appoint to 
constitute it. And all the Quarterly Meetings in the 
nation, by chosen men out of themselves, do constitute 
one general Yearly Meeting ; unto which, the meetingw^ 
of those people, in all parts of the world, have their 
recourse, by chosen messengers, or by epistles. The 
business of which meetings, in their several degrees, 
is to promote virtue and charity, peace and unity. 

Pervers, 18. The Quakers w^ill not support civil 
government, and so are useless, if not dangerous to 
government. 

Princ, This also is untrue, upon experience: for 
what people is more industrious under government, or 
pay their taxes better to it than they do.^^ And, tribute 
from the people, and justice from the rulers, are the 
support of government in all countries. It is true, in- 
deed, that they cannot kill or slay their own kind, and 
so are not fit for warriors with carnal weapons of de- 
struction, because they believe their blessed Lord for- 
bade the use of them to his followers, when he said, 
They that take the sword, shall perish wdth the sword 
and th'it the use of the sword in war, was one of those 



A KEY, ETC. 3i 

things that God suffered for the hardness of men's 
hearts, and that from the beginning it was not so. In 
fine, that it came in with the fall, and must go out with 
it also. And as Christ the repairer of breaches and 
restorer of paths to dwell in, comes to be known to rule 
in the heart, love will take place of wrath, and forgive- 
ness overcome injury and revenge. So the lamb will 
be preferred before the lion, and the lion resign to and 
lie down with the lamb, and destruction come to a per 
petual end. For which cause, the weapons of this 
people's warfare are not carnal, but mighty through 
God, to the pulling down the strong holds of sin and 
satan, according to the apostle's doctrine. Which is 
the holy war, indeed, styled by the holy Ghost, The 
saints' warfare. And since so holy, lamb-like and 
peaceable a state, is both prophesied of and promised, 
as the happiness of the latter times; and that it and 
they take their beginning in Christ, the beginning and 
the end of all true Christians; let not this people be 
thought useless or inconsistent with government, for 
introducing that harmless, glorious way to this flis- 
tracted world, for some body must begin it, but rather 
adore the providence, embrace the principle and cherish 
and follow the example : believing with them, that 
Christ, the blessed Shepherd of his flock, will ever 
preserve the faithful followers of his meekness and the 
disciples of his peaceable and forgiving doctrine. 

Pervers, 19. The Quakers refuse to give evidence, 
&c. 

Princ. It cannot be their fault, which is so much 
their desire, viz.. To be able to give evidence upon all 
occasions. Nor, with justice, c^n it be reputed thei> 



ii2 A KEY, ETC. 

slubbornnesSj but their tenderness, since they canno\ 
swear at all, and that the law requires an oath in evi- 
dence. Now Christ having commanded his followers 
not to swear at all, and that instead of an oath, or in 
cases where oaths are allowed under the law, their yea, 
yea, and nay, nay, should serve instead of swearing ; 
and for this reason, because what is more than yea, yea, 
and nay, nay, cometh of evil ; and for that Christians 
are commanded to avoid the very appearance of evil, 
much more that which cometh of evil ; upon these ac- 
counts they dare not swear at all. So that it is for 
Christ's sake, and the tender respect they bear to his 
evangelical, positive and general precept, that they can- 
not swear, who is the Truth, and has taught them to 
speak the truth without an oath. 

Now if this would be admitted [and often they have 
prayed that it might be, and for want of it, are not only 
less serviceable to their neighbours than otherwise they 
could be, but are great sufferers in their persons and 
estates], and the government would be pleased to ac- 
cept their yea, yea, and nay, nay, instead of an oath, 
as other countries do in the like cases, they would be 
ready to submit to the same punishment in case of un- 
truth, as is due by law^ to perjury, and upon all occa- 
sions would be glad to help and serve their neighbours 
with all their hearts. Wherefore let not that be made 
their fault, which is so much against their will, and 
their unhappiness and affliction. 

Thus, sober reader, thou hast a brief account of this 
people, their principles and practice, and therefore thou 
mayest see, if thou pleasest, with how little reason they 
are despised by some, and abused by others ; which 



A KEY, KTC. 33 

hath been their lot, in a large measure, ever since they 
have been a people. Though the whole bent of their 
spirits and testimony, since God, by his grace, hath 
distinguished them, has been to promote the experi- 
mental and saving knowledge of Christ Jesus in the 
world, by turning the minds of people from the dark- 
ness that is in them, to the light of Christ which is in 
them, as the great, singular and necessary agent and 
spirit, by which only man is enlightened and enabled 
to see and do the will of God. For, till men receive 
and are quickened by the holy Spirit, they are hypo- 
crites and not Christians ; bastards and not sons. 

Neither can they have true and living faith, what- 
soever they profess ; nor can they truly and acceptably 
worship God, whatsoever they perform. then, let 
the poor Quakers, and their abused principles have 
better entertainment with thee, reader. And do not 
conclude, because they direct people to the Light of 
Christ in them, that therefore it is a mere natural and 
not a Divine light ; or because they assert Christ to be 
the Word of God, and that he is revealed in the heart, 
according to the Scripture, and that the Scripture, in 
that excellent sense, is not so ; that therefore they deny 
the Divine authority of the Scriptures, and that the 
mind and truth thereof, as declared by them, is not in 
any sense the word of the Lord to men. Or because 
they do not receive the schoolmen's trinity, that there- 
fore they deny the Scripture trinity of Father, Word, 
and Spirit. Or that therefore they deny the Divinity 
of Christ the Word. Or that they deny Christ without 
them, who was the Son of Man, in a suffering state on 
earth, and is now the Son of Man in glory, because 



34 A KEY, ETC. 

they exalt and press an experimental knowledge ot 
Christ within, as the truth, substance, and excellency 
of the hope of the glory that hereafter shall be revealed^ 
as being the riches of the glory of the mystery revealed, 
and to be revealed in these latter days, according to 
the Scriptures of truth. Neither do thou say, they hope 
to be saved by their own works, because they press the 
necessity of well-doing toward acceptance with God ; 
since they maintain, that no w^orks that are not wrought 
by the Spirit of God are acceptable with him ; or that 
they hold even such works to be meritorious, because 
they say, good works are necessary and rewardable. 
Or that they are forgiven for what they do, and not for 
what Christ did. Or that they deny the use of means, 
because they reject ungospel ones. Or that they deny 
baptism and the supper, because they say, they are but 
signs of the spiritual grace, and that they served but 
for a time, and that they experience their accomplish- 
ment. Neither say that they are uncivil, and honour 
no man, because they forbear such titles and cere- 
monies, in which true honour and civility do not con- 
sist. Or that they are against government, because 
they cannot out of tenderness, and not obstinacy, con- 
form to it in matters relating to religion and conscience ; 
in which Christ only is Lord and King. Since, reader, 
thou plainly seest, that they believe the Light to be 
Divine, and the Scriptures to be of Divine authority. 
That they own the Scripture-trinity, or Holy three, of 
Father, Word, and Spirit, to be truly and properly one. 
That Christ is God, and that Christ is man. That he 
came in the flesh, died, rose again, ascended, and sits 
on God's right hand, the only sacrifice and mediator, 
for man's happiness. That t-uly Gospel-means and 



A KEY, ETC. 35 

ordindnces are requisite, and to be reverently practised. 
That good woiks are necessary and rewardable. That 
all men are to be honoured in the Lord, according to 
their degrees. And that government in church and 
state is God's ordinance, and both requisite and very 
beneficial. 

Now, reader, that which remains, is to recommend 
thee to this holy Spirit of light and life, which they 
make the root and spring of all true sense of God and 
religion in man. Even the light within which they 
began with, and w^hich comes from Christ, and indeed 
is Christ the eternal Word, and which brings all that 
follow the convictions and leadings of it, to Christ ; 
that is, to his nature, which is meek, patient, loving, 
humble, harmless, self-denying, and holy ; and hereby 
to know him in themselves according to Scripture, to 
be the hope of their eternal glory. Who, as he is of 
Abraham after the flesh, so is he God over all blessed 
for ever ; the true light, who lighteth all, in order to 
life and blessedness. Unto the manifestation of whose 
most holy and blessed Light within, thou, reader, art 
earnestly exhorted. Bring thy deeds to it, and love it, 
and walk in it, and thou wilt assuredly have the light 
of life; and thy fellowship shall be w^ith God, and with 
his Son and saints, and the blood of Jesus Christ his 
Son shall cleanse thee from all sin. And whatsoever 
things are true, whatsoever things are honest, what- 
soever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, 
whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any 
virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 
Which, reader, is, I know, most earnestly desired on 
t»hy behalf, by this despised and most abused people 
called Quakers. So be it. Amen. 



36 A KEY, ETC. 



POSTSCRIPT. 

Bet7ig an exhortation to all people y to turn speedily U 
the Lordy and seek him while he may hefound^ what* 
ever persuasion they are qfy or forms they are under j 
before the dreadful day of God^s vengeance overtake 
them, 

YE inhabitants of the world, but more especially 
you that know this people, and among whom the testi- 
mony which they bear, hath been held forth ; hear, and 
be entreated for your soul's sake ! that ye knew your 
Creator to be also your Redeemer! who does as cer- 
tainly visit you by the spirit of the second Adam as 
ever he created you in the nature of the first Adam. 
That as in one you fell, so in the other you may arise 
out of your fallen and foul estate, and become a re- 
formed, regenerate and chosen people to God. This 
is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear 
ye him, said God, the Father. And what says Christ, 
the Son ? Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in 
heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For, out 
of Christ, out of his spirit and nature, verily we cannot 
have peace. No peace to the wricked, no peace to the 
proud and ungodly, saith the Lord. Friends, you must 
take up your cross daily and follow^ him, or ye cannot 
be his disciples, his followers, his people, his friends ; 
those in whom he is well pleased. Whose doctrine is 
not so much the good w^ords you read in creeds and 
catechisms, as it is the living teaching of his Spirit in 
j^our own hearts ; and whose religion is not opinion, 



A Ki:y, ETC. 37 

but experience, not notion, but enjoyment. Life fron* 
death, and conversion, and regeneration in short, un- 
defiledness, and holiness, without which no man shall 
see the Lord 

Here is the faith of Jesus. A faith that overcomes 
the world, and works by love, not violence. Where 
zeal and charity are companions, and knowledge doth 
not puff* up but lives and works by obedience, this is 
the faith and religion of Jesus: all others are the faith 
and religion of hypocrites and devils ; which they may 
have, and be hypocrites and devils still. For though 
they believe, their faith works not by love; and thoucrh 
they know the truth, they obey it not. 

Wherefore, friends, it behooves you much to see 
what faith and religion you have; and not flatter your- 
selves on to perdition. If it be the true, the pure, the 
undefiled, according to the apostle, James i. 27, then 
you will have light hearts, and easy consciences, and a 
hope that will not make you ashamed. Else, believe 
it, heaviness, anguish and tribulation will (whatever be 
your profession) overwhelm you in the day that God 
shall enter into judgment with you. For which cause, 
my dear country folks and people, be entreated while 
it is to-day, to turn unto the Lord with all your hearts, 
and hearken to his voice, in your own consciences, that 
calls you to holiness, and harden not your hearts against 
his reproof, for the reproof of instruction is the way to 
ife, endless life. Did you but feel that God sees you 
every where and in every thing, and that continually, 
it would abundantly alter Ihe case wath you. Then 
would you say as one of old. The Lord was here and 
I knew it n^t Fear, a holy fear would take hold of 
4 



38 A KEy, ETC. 

you, an awe of the Omnipotent Majesty wou d seize 
you, and you would not do that before God, which you 
would be ashamed men should see you do. For no 
place is secret to him ; the light and darkness are 
alike. His witness is with you as much alone, as in 
company, and may perhaps be better heard by you. 

Sin not then in the face of God, in contempt of his 
witness, in despite of his Spirit that is in you ; hut hear 
it, receive it, and love it, and you will be born of it, 
and become the children of him whose eye penetrates 
the darkest coverts, and findeth out the most secret 
corners ; even he that searches the heart and tries the 
reins of man, and sets his sins in order before him, and 
telleth unto him his most inward thoughts. 

This being the case, what manner of persons ought 
you to be, ye children of men ! Do not satisfy your- 
selves with out-sides, with a name, a profession, a 
church-membership, &c. For it is not what you say, 
but what you do. But turn in, and examine your own 
hearts, see how they stand affected towards God and 
his law and truth in your inward parts. Be strict and 
true in the search, as you would save your souls. If 
your minds be set on heavenly things, and holiness and 
charity be the zealous bent thereof, well will it be with 
you for ever; to live then will be Christ, and to die 
will be your everlasting gain. For blessed is that peo- 
ple and nation whose God is the Lord. But if the love 
and spirit of the world prevail ; if pride, covetousness, 
and luxury, envy, bitterness, and vain-glory, that are 
so very opposite to the will and nature of Gcd and his 
holy Lamb ; if these things have power over jou, flatter 
not yourselves, you cannot be true Christians, not in 



A KEY, ETC. 39 

favour with God, for you take his name in vain. And 
your very prayers and oblations are an abomination to 
the Lord, in that state. God calls for the heart: My 
son, give me thy heart. He has given man the rest ; 
but that, God will have for himself, if man will have 
him for his God and friend. Deceive not yourselves, 
therefore, ye sons and daughters of Adam ! for 
believe it, such as you sow, such you must reap, and 
there is no repentance in the grave. And a short but 
great work will God do in the earth ; and great judg- 
ments, of divers kinds, will begin it, and they are at 
the door. Yea, they are begun, if ye could but see 
them. 

Awake then, awake out of the sleep of this world! 
Behold the Judge is at hand, and the midnight cry is 
coming upon you as a thief in the night. Prepare, 
prepare, or you are ex* 1 m.^.^.. .-irever! And remem- 
ber, salvation is from sin, or it will never be from 
wrath ; so said the angel. Thou shalt call his name 
Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. For 
it is the pure in heart that see God, and nothing unlike 
him can please him, and still less live with him for ever. 

The eternal God reach unto you by his pow^erful 
Spirit, break your peace in the broad way, touch you 
deeply with a sense of your disobedience to him, give 
you true contrition and repentance, and create in you a 
clean heart, and renew a right spirit w^ithin you. To 
conclude, make you holy, make you zealous, and make 
you charitable ; that you may do, as well as say, and 
not only profess, but possess the truth of the living God 
in your inward parts ; that pearl of price, that hidden 
and eternal treasure. So shall you know that the times 



40 A KEY, ETC. 

of refreshing are come from the presence of the Lord 
and that the kingdom is again restored unto Israel. 
Israel, the Prince of peace, who hath prevailed with 
God for man ; whose sceptre is a sceptre of righteous^ 
ness, and of whose dominion there shall be no end, 
So come Lord Jesus ; come quickly. Amen. 

Written in behalf of the said people, for the infor 
mation and good of all, by 

William Penn. 



TSC Aim. 



